India were staring down the barrel after being reduced to 168 for seven at tea, with part-time spinner Dean Elgar snaring four wickets on the first day of the opening cricket Test against South Africa here today.

Murali Vijay (75) scored a defiant 50 before falling to Simon Harmer, as the visitors dominated the first two sessions at the IS Bindra Stadium.

Elgar turned out to be the unlikely hero after India skipper Virat Kohli opted to bat.

Ravindra Jadeja (26 batting) and Ravichandran Ashwin (4 batting) are fighting on to try and give some respectability to the Indian total.

Starting the post-lunch session on 82 for three, India saw some resistance from Vijay and Ajinkya Rahane (15), but the reintroduction of left-arm spinner Elgar into the attack again proved worthwhile for the visitors.

India lost two wickets in quick succession between overs 38 and 40. Rahane was the first to go following an expansive drive off a looping delivery that pitched outside the off-stump, the edge flying to first slip.

Elgar struck again on the very first delivery of his next over, sending back wicketkeeper-batsman Wriddhiman Saha to be on a hat-trick.

All-rounder Jadeja played out the hat-trick ball but India’s struggle was far from over.

Vijay got to his 50 with a thickish edge that flew past the lone slip, for his 12th Test half-century. Vijay, who had stitched a 37-run fourth wicket partnership with Rahane, managed a 38-run partnership with Jadeja to raise hopes of an Indian recovery.

But that was not to be as off-spinner Simon Harmer got the danger-man trapped LBW and the hosts slipped further. Amit Mishra (6) also couldn’t resist the temptation against Elgar’s looping deliveries and fell while attempting to hit past mid-on.

Ashwin survived a scare after he was trapped LBW off debutant pacer Kagiso Rabada as it turned out to be an over-stepped no ball.

Earlier, electing to bat in overcast conditions on a slow and low IS Bindra stadium pitch, India lost Shikhar Dhawan without a run on the board, but Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara (31) steadied the boat with a 63-run stand before the bowlers struck again.

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