South Africa lost Ryan Rickleton but skipper Temba Bavuma looked in fine form as the visitors reached 156 for two at lunch on the opening day of the second and final test against India in Guwahati on Saturday.
Rickleton, who combined in an 82-run opening stand with Aiden Markram (38), fell to spinner Kuldeep Yadav but it was largely a second successive session of much toil with little reward for the home attack.
Bavuma, who scored the only half-century in the opening test in Kolkata, was batting on 36 at the lunch break with Tristan Stubbs on 32 also looking comfortable at the other end.
Due to the early sunrise and fast-fading light in northeast India, the normal refreshment order has been flipped for the match, scheduling the tea break ahead of lunch in the first-ever test match at Barsapara Cricket Stadium.
Having won the series opener inside three days on a spinning track in Kolkata, Bavuma elected to bat on a pitch that had a fair amount of grass coverage and no cracks from where the ball could kick up.
Markram (38) got a reprieve on four when Jasprit Bumrah drew an edge but KL Rahul floored the catch at slip.
India’s stand-in captain Rishabh Pant, leading the side in the absence of injured skipper Shubman Gill, introduced spin in the 14th over but Washington Sundar was unable to make an immediate impact.
Left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep joined Sundar from the other end but the openers would still not be separated.
Pant then brought back Bumrah for one final over before the tea break and the decision paid off, Markram’s thick inside edge sending the ball crashing into his stumps.
Rickleton (35) could not press on after the tea break and fell caught behind to Kuldeep.
But Bavuma was compact in his defence, while Stubbs used his feet well against the Indian spinners in their 74-run stand for the unbroken third wicket.
