The Proteas failed to deliver on their promise of beating India to the punch on Day One of their second Test in Pune on Thursday.
Heading into the clash, captain Faf du Plessis said his team had to land the first blow after losing their first encounter by 203 runs.
It started at the toss according to the skipper. But the Proteas again found themselves on the back foot from the word go, with India winning the coin flip and deciding to bat first.
Despite speedster Kagiso Rabada making an early breakthrough when he had Rohit Sharma caught behind for 14, India’s batsmen dominated the SA bowling attack.
With Anrich Nortje, making his Test debut after coming in for Dane Piedt, Vernon Philander and Keshav Maharaj trying to support Rabada, Mayank Agarwal and Cheteshwar Pujara put on 138 runs for the second wicket.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/ProteaFire?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ProteaFireattack| IND 200/3, 65 overs
A strapping, genuine quick✅
who regularly bowls in the 140-150kph range✅
Best-strike rate in tests amongst active bowlers✅
Can @KagisoRabada25 get another breakthrough? #INDvsSA pic.twitter.com/xeNoQpqyfm
— Cricket South Africa (@OfficialCSA)
Again it was Rabada that made the breakthrough when he had Pujara (58) caught by Du Plessis at first slip.
India captain Virat Kohli then joined forces with Agarwal with India’s total on 163/2, before Rabada (3/48) struck for the third time to remove the latter for 108, also caught by Du Plessis.
Rabada, though, was fighting a lone battle, as Kohli then put on an unbeaten 63, with Ajinkya Rahane (18*) before stumps were called with India on a comfortable 273/3.