Overview
- South Africa chose to bat after Temba Bavuma won the toss, sliding from 57 without loss to 159 all out in 55 overs.
- Jasprit Bumrah returned 5-27 for his 16th Test five-for, with Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav sharing four wickets to dominate the middle session.
- India reached 37-1 at stumps, trailing by 122, after Marco Jansen bowled Yashasvi Jaiswal; KL Rahul and Washington Sundar were unbeaten when bad light ended play.
- India recalled Rishabh Pant and Axar Patel, went with four spinners, and promoted Washington Sundar to No. 3, leaving Sai Sudharsan out of the XI.
- South Africa were without Kagiso Rabada due to a rib injury, bringing in Corbin Bosch and relying on Simon Harmer and Keshav Maharaj as their spin pair.