Kagiso Rabada grabbed a five-wicket haul before K L Rahul rallied India to 208/8 on a rain-hit Day 1 of the first Test.
Injury blow hit the South African camp as Anrich Nortje was ruled out of the second Test against West Indies.
World No 1 India may feel they have never had a better chance of winning their first ever Test series in South Africa.
Patidar or Rinku set for debut; India look to seal series
India's journey into their ODI future will hit its first stop during the opening match against South Africa on Sunday.
IMAGES from the first ODI between South Africa and India played at The Wanderers, in Johannesburg, on Sunday.
A desperate India seek to restore parity against South Africa and remain consequential in the World Test Championship.
IMAGES from the 2nd ODI match played Between South Africa and India in Gqeberha, South Africa on Tuesday.
For the golden generation of Indian cricketers, this is their last chance to conquest what no other team could on eight previous tours.
Aiden Markram replaced Temba Bavuma as T20I skipper of the South African national side.
South Africa won the first Test in Durban by 220 runs, where they bowled Bangladesh out for 53 in their second innings.
Bavuma has replaced Dean Elgar as skipper in the longest format, though the latter remains part of a much-changed squad.
Aiden Markram handed South Africa a strong start, but fell just four short of his ton as West Indies fought back on the opening day of the second Test.
Bangladesh left-arm spinner Taijul Islam took 6/135 but the touring side struggled with the bat as they limped to 139 for five at the close on day two of the second and final Test against South Africa on Saturday.
Skipper Aiden Markram and all-rounder Wiaan Mulder hit superb hundreds as South Africa 'A' fought their way to 400 all out against India 'A' on day three of the second unofficial Test, in Mysuru, on Thursday.
England won the toss and put South Africa in to bat only for a shower to sweep in and put a stop to proceedings
Rahane set for county stint with Leicestershire post-IPL
It is a second Test century for middle-order batter Bavuma in his 56th match
South Africa won their T20 series against world champions West Indies and Ireland, and will once again be captained by Temba Bavuma in both formats.
The second day's play in the third Test between England and South Africa at The Oval will not take place on Friday following the death of Queen Elizabeth, the England and Wales Cricket Board said on Thursday.
The loss of Bavuma will further weaken their top six, especially as the experienced Reeza Hendricks has withdrawn from the squad after the birth of his first child, while the in-form Rassie van der Dussen is doubtful for the first match of the series, at least, with a grade one left quadriceps strain.
South Africa bowled poorly in the first hour, but still managed to reduce the visitors to 54 for three as Sri Lanka gave their wickets away with injudicious stroke-play.
All-rounder Colin de Grandhomme struck a belligerent half-century to steady New Zealand in the second Test on Saturday after South Africa's seamers torched the home side's top order during a see-sawing Day 2 in Christchurch.
India captured four wickets to reduce South Africa 'A' to 179 for 9, who go into day four with a paltry lead of 40 runs in the second innings.
Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami took three wickets each as the tourists bowled South Africa out for 191 to claim an emphatic 113-run victory just after lunch on the fifth day of the first Test in Centurion on Thursday.
On Sunday, Sussex batted first on a small county ground at Hove, and were 9/2 inside first four overs when Tom Clark (104 off 106 balls) and Pujara joined forces to add 205 runs for the third wicket.
After fast bowler Khaled Ahmed (2-59) had South Africa opener Sarel Erwee (24) caught by wicketkeeper Litton Das, Taijul claimed the next three wickets.
Verreynne relieved much of that pressure with a sparkling, unbeaten 136 that put his team in the box seat
Opener Shubman Gill, who is part of the Indian squad for the South Africa Tests, perished for a three-ball duck in the second innings.
Virat Kohli has upper back spasm, hopefully will recover for next Test: K L Rahul
While wicket-keeper-batsman Klaasen recently notched 69 runs from 30 balls in South Africa's six-wicket win over India in the 2nd T20I, 20-year-old Mulder has played a single ODI against Bangladesh at East London in October 2017.
South Africa captain Temba Bavuma said they are mulling over whether to select a specialist batsman or all-rounder at number six for the opening one-day international against India on Wednesday.
Australia, who are searching for their maiden T20 title, enter the tournament on the back of a horrific run, losing bilateral series to Bangladesh, West Indies, New Zealand, India and England.
Anderson became the leading wicket-taker among pace bowlers across all formats
South Africa have named three front-line spinners in their squad for the Twenty20 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates and Oman but left out opening batsman Janneman Malan.
Seamer Ollie Robinson took 5/49 as England skittled South Africa out for 118 on the third day of the third Test at The Oval on Saturday, before grinding their way to 154/7 in reply, a lead of 36 runs.
South Africa lost two wickets after tea but extended their lead over New Zealand to 211 runs by the close of Day 3 to leave the second Test delicately poised, in Christchurch, on Sunday.
Fast bowler Duanne Olivier has been recalled for South Africa's home Test series against India, a reward for excellent domestic form from a player who shot to prominence four years ago before taking up a Kolpak contract.
Shubman Gill shone again with a fine 92 as India 'A' reached 233 for three at stumps on Day 1 in the second unofficial Test against South Africa 'A' in Mysuru.
India's formidably consistent match-winners have a date with history in the New Year when they take on an out-of-sorts South Africa in the second Test in Johannesburg from Monday in pursuit of a coveted first-ever series win in the Rainbow Nation.
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