South Africa's fast bowlers wreaked havoc on India's experienced batting line-up, reducing them to 136 for nine on the rain-hit first day of the opening Test in Centurion.
The home team used the conditions to their advantage as Morne Morkel took four vital wickets – including his 100th in Tests – and Dale Steyn claimed three to back Graeme Smith's decision to bowl first after South Africa's captain won the toss.
Only Sachin Tendulkar (36) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (33 not out) showed some resistance before play ended early due to bad light.
Only 38.1 overs were bowled in the two sessions that were possible after overnight and morning rain made play impossible until after lunch.
India had a dismal start, losing Virender Sehwag for a duck in the third over of the match when the opener slashed hard at a Morkel delivery only to be caught by Hashim Amla at third man.
Gautam Gambhir had a forgettable outing despite being lucky to be ruled not out on two occasions when replays suggested the decisions could have easily gone in favour of the bowling side.
The opening batsman and Rahul Dravid defied the bowlers for 10 overs, but the 23-run stand came to an end when Gambhir edged Morkel to Paul Harris at first slip and in his next over the bowler snared Dravid leg-before to leave India tottering on 27 for three.
Tendulkar and VVS Laxman tried to stop the rot and the former attempted a counterattack either side of the tea break, but India's woes were far from over. A mini-collapse followed and three wickets fell in as many overs to reduce India to 71 for six.
Laxman was the first to go, clean bowled by Steyn, and the new batsman, Suresh Raina, lasted only five balls and handed Jacques Kallis his first wicket of the match.
Tendulkar, who looked set for a bigger innings, was rapped on the pad in front while on 36 off only 34 balls by a fiery inswinger from Steyn.
Dhoni and Harbhajan Singh took India past the 100-run mark with some unorthodox batting and the off-spinner tried to take the attack to the opposition by hitting a boundary and a six off Lonwabo Tsotsobe.
But the hope of a late flourish was dashed by a bizarre run-out that exposed Harbhajan's poor running skills after he was caught short of his crease by an agile Mark Boucher, who underarmed an Alviro Petersen throw on to the stumps.
The march of the batsmen back to the pavilion continued as Ishant Sharma and Sreesanth – both scoreless – did not have the technique to face Morkel, who added two more wickets to his tally.
Dhoni was joined by the debutant Jaidev Unadkat and the Indian captain tried to lend some respectability to the total by playing aggressively and put on 30 runs for the unbroken 10th-wicket stand.
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