South Africa were 21 for 1 at lunch, after bowling out India for 327 in their first innings on the third day of the first Test of the three-match series, at SuperSport Park, here on Tuesday.
After triggering India's batting collapse, South Africa also didn't have a great start as Jasprit Bumrah dismissed the Proteas captain Dean Elgar in the very first over of the hosts' innings.
However, Keegan Petersen (11 not out) and Aiden Markram (9 not out) denied Indian bowlers any other wicket till lunch, as Proteas were trailing by 306 runs at the end of first session.
Earlier, resuming the day at 272/3, Proteas pacers -- Lungi Ngidi (6/71), Kagiso Rabada (3/72) -- used the bounce and lateral movement to perfection and rattled the Indian batting attack, dismissing visitors under a below-par total.
The Indian team could only add 55 runs to their overnight score and lost seven wickets quickly in the morning session.
KL Rahul (123 off 260), who looked in fine touch on Day 1, was the first one to get dismissed. The opener tried to play a swivel pull off Rabada but he gloved the ball and keeper Quinton de Kock took an easy catch.
Next was Ajinkya Rahane (48 off 102), who tried to play a cut shot off Ngidi, but was only able to give a catch to the wicketkeeper. Thereafter, the likes of Rishabh Pant (8), Ravichandran Ashwin (4), Shardul Thakur (4) and Md Shami (8) got out in quick succession.
The last-wicket partnership of 19 runs between Jasprit Bumrah (14) and Md Siraj (4) gave some late flourish to Indian innings.
Earlier, the second day of the ongoing Test was washed out without a ball being bowled on Monday.
Brief scores: India 1st Innings 327 in 105.3 overs (KL Rahul 123, Ajinkya Rahane 48; Lungi Ngidi 6/71, Kagiso Rabada 3/72) vs South Africa 1st Innings 21/1 in 7 overs (Keegan Petersen 11 not out, Aiden Markram 9 not out; Jasprit Bumrah 1/12).