South African debutant Nandre Burger took two wickets with his first 13 balls before India fought back to reach 91 for three at lunch on the opening day of the first test at Centurion on Tuesday.
Burger came on as first change in the home bowling attack and had both Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill caught behind in a bright start by the South Africans, who might have been in an even stronger position had it not been for two dropped catches.
Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer led India’s fightback in an unbeaten 67-run partnership, scoring rapidly off 89 deliveries.
Kohli was 33 not out and Iyer on 31 at the interval.
The 28-year-old Burger made an initial impact before even being handed the ball, catching India captain Rohit Sharma at long leg off Kagiso Rabada.
Rohit’s injudicious hook at the end of the fifth over presented South Africa with their first breakthrough and Jaiswal (17) followed in Burger’s second over in test cricket as he got a thick outside edge driving at a ball on an inviting length.
Shubman Gill departed in Burger’s next over after a review, which showed the batsman had gloved the ball down the leg side after the original appeal had been turned down.
South Africa dropped two relatively easy chances as Marco Jansen spilled Iyer on four and Tony de Zorzi, replacing Jansen at square leg, put down Kohli, also on four.
South Africa suffered a further blow when captain Temba Bavuma pulled up with a hamstring strain as he chased a boundary-bound shot from Kohli and he left the field for treatment.
Play began 30 minutes late because of a wet outfield but forecasts of more rain proved incorrect with the sun shining through.
India are hoping to claim a first victory in a country where they have lost seven of their eight test series since the first in 1992 with one drawn in 2010-11.
South Africa have won 22 of their last 28 tests at Centurion, drawing three and losing three.
