Nagpur: India lost both openers Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan but reached 85 for two at lunch on the opening day of the third cricket and penultimate cricket Test against South Africa at the VCA Stadium in Jamtha on Wednesday.
On a wicket that already showed signs of offering significant turn, Dhawan fell for 12 after putting on a second successive half century partnership with Vijay (40) after India captain Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bat.
Dhawan was taken out by left-arm spinner Dean Elgar after a 68-minute stay.
Vijay, who had made his debut at this ground seven years ago against Australia, was sent back by gangling pace bowler Mornel Morkel in his second spell after the duo had carried India through the first hour of play without being separated.
At the end of 27 overs in session one, Cheteshwar Pujara was on 18 off 30 balls and skipper Kohli on 11 off 26 balls.
Both had hit one four apiece.
Earlier, Vijay and Dhawan, who put on an unbeaten stand of 80 at Bengaluru before the Test was washed out, made a steady start against the South Africa pace duo of Morkel and Kagiso Rabada.
Morkel could not extract bounce or pace from the surface while Rabada too failed to trouble the Indian batsmen.
Vijay was hit on his arm guard once by Morkel with a short ball that did not rise before Dhawan glided the bowler to the third man fence with an angled shot for the first boundary of the match in the third over.
Dhawan swung Rabada to the long leg fence for his second four before Vijay opened up and pulled Morkel for his first boundary in the fifth over.