KL Rahul completed a century against South Africa on the second day of the first Test before India were dismissed for 245 in their first innings.
The visitors then took an early wicket as the hosts went to lunch on 1-49 in reply at Centurion on Wednesday.
Rahul was 70 not out overnight as India resumed on 8-208 and he made his eighth Test ton in spectacular fashion with a six as India added 37 to their first day score before being bowled out.
Rahul had provided stout resistance on the opening day on Tuesday as South Africa threatened to dismiss India cheaply but were let down by spilt catches and inconsistent bowling.
He came out again on Wednesday with the same aggressive intent and put away the bad balls to reach his century before being the last man dismissed as Nandre Burger bowled him for 101 off 137 balls.
Burger finished with 3-50 on his debut with Kagiso Rabada the pick of the home bowlers with 5-59.
India made a breakthrough early in South Africa’s reply as Aiden Markram (5) edged behind a delivery from Mohammed Siraj that swung away.
Dean Elgar, who retires after the two-match series, was 29 not out at lunch, along with Tony de Zorzi unbeaten on 12.
The pair survived 11 pace-filled overs from India’s seamers and one from spinner Ravichandran Ashwin in an unbeaten 38-run partnership, with South Africa still 196 runs behind.
India are looking to claim a first series victory in a country where they have come close before but have never won
South Africa have been victors in seven of India’s eight visits since the first in 1992 with one series drawn in 2010/11, but six of those successes have been by a single win margin.
The second and last Test in this series is at Newlands in Cape Town from January 3-7.
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