South Africa lose two wickets before the close after dismissing India for 215 in the third Test
Wickets tumble on day one in Nagpur
Morne Morkel and Simon Harmer bamboozled India with pace and spin on a tricky wicket but South Africa also suffered early blows in the third Test in Nagpur on Wednesday.
Off-spinner Harmer claimed 4-78 and fast bowler Morkel took 3-35 as the Proteas bowled India out for 215 in the post-tea session of the first day's play.
South Africa, seeking a series-levelling win, had plodded to 2-11 by stumps, setting the stage for an exciting battle ahead on a dusty and dry pitch at the VCA stadium.
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin had opener Stiaan van Zyl caught in the slips for a duck before nightwatchman Imran Tahir was bowled by Ravindra Jadeja for four.
At stumps Dean Elgar was unbeaten on seven and skipper Hashim Amla had yet to score.
India were reduced to 6-125 after winning the toss, before the last four wickets added 90 runs that included a 48-run stand for the seventh wicket between Jadeja (34) and wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha (32).
Opener Murali Vijay top-scored with 40, but none of the other five specialist batsmen crossed 22 on a first-day pitch that already shows cracks and continues to deteriorate fast.
Morkel made up for the absence of his unfit speed partner Dale Steyn to negate India's initial advantage of batting first, but then himself limped off the field while bowling his 17th over in the final session.
Harmer said he was happy to bowl on a pitch that helps slow bowlers and predicted the Test would be over before the fifth day.
"This wicket is not prepared to last five days, there is bound to be a result," the off-spinner said.
"In South Africa we prepare pitches that suit our type of cricket. So this does not surprise us at all. But being a spinner, I like bowling on such wickets."
India's batting coach Sanjay Bangar said it was too soon to predict the outcome.
"This is a challenging wicket to score runs on," said Bangar. "This has been a low-scoring series, but it is too early to say how this match will go.
"There is a lot of time left in the match, so anything can happen."