South Africa are well in control after a shortened opening day. After winning toss Proteas put India in and continued chipping away at the wickets, although it must be said that the Indian batters batted quite aggressively in their pursuit of quick runs. Dale Steyn exhibited another superb spell of pace bowling on Sunday to penetrate through the Indian batting line at Kingsmead.
Dale Steyn, the world's top-ranked bowler, continued his seven wickets in South Africa's innings victory in the first test with four for 36 in the first two sessions.
At tea India, who had been invited to bat, were struggling again at 168 for six.
Left-arm seamer Lonwabo Tsotsobe, who had been punished before lunch with two overs for 15 runs, came back after the break to take two for 15 in seven overs. He also pulled off an unlikely catch at wide mid-on when he snapped up VVS Laxman's well-struck pull off Steyn with his right hand.
After play had been delayed for hour by drizzle and a damp outfield, Steyn obtained vicious late away movement to have both opening batsmen, Virender Sehwag (25) and Murali Vijay (19) caught behind the wicket.
Sehwag tried to drive a late away-swinger from Steyn but was anchored to the crease and edged the ball to second slip.
Vijay lived dangerously and he was dropped twice in the slip cordon off the bowling of Steyn, with his score on three and 15.
The second miss did not matter, however, as Steyn's next ball was a superb delivery that drew Vijay forward before jagging away late to find the edge and give wicketkeeper Mark Boucher a simple catch.
After lunch there was immediate success for the home side as Sachin Tendulkar (13) drove at a Tsotsobe delivery that was angled across him, edging a catch for Jacques Kallis at second slip.
Rahul Dravid and Laxman both showed their class in a 38-run partnership for the fourth wicket before Steyn produced a delivery that bounced more than Dravid expected. The veteran, who had scored 25, gloved a simple catch to Boucher.
Four overs later, Laxman pulled Steyn well, but Tsotsobe stuck out his right hand at wide mid-on and took an extraordinary catch as the ball raced past him. Laxman, who had top-scored with 38, was setting off to run and stood aghast with his hand on his side after realising he was out.
India were then 130 for five and their outlook became bleaker still when Cheteshwar Pujara (19) top-edged a hook at Tsotsobe and Boucher back-pedalled to claim the skied catch.
With conditions becoming ever gloomier and the floodlights coming on, captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh survived to the tea break.
After the tea break MS Dhoni and Harbajan Singh resumed their innings but bad light came into play and both of them opted to ned up with 183/6.
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