Proteas fast bowler Kagiso Rabada took five wickets as India struggled on the first day of the first Test at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Tuesday.
India were 176/7 at tea after being sent in. Rabada had figures of 5/41 – his 14th five-wicket haul in Test cricket.
KL Rahul battled through to the tea break in challenging conditions and was on 39 not out.
India could have been in deeper trouble after being reduced to 24/3. Both Virat Kohli (38) and Shreyas Iyer (31) were dropped with their scores on four.
Kohli and Iyer went on to add 68 for the fourth wicket before both were dismissed in an inspired three-wicket spell by Rabada immediately after lunch.
Iyer was bowled by a ball which cut back off the pitch and Kohli was caught behind off a superb delivery which swung away late.
South African captain Temba Bavuma left the field with a strained left hamstring injury before lunch and did not reappear.
A bulletin from the South African dressing room stated that there would be "daily medical evaluations to determine his participation in the match".
The start was delayed by 30 minutes because of damp patches on a pitch which had been under cover for 40 hours before Tuesday morning because of rain. There was plenty of assistance for the bowlers, but only new cap Nandre Burger offered consistent support to Rabada.
Burger took two early wickets, having Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill caught behind for 17 and two respectively.
AFP