By Matthew Henry.
India dismissed South Africa for just 55 before collapsing to 153 all out in reply on an extraordinary opening day of the second Test in Cape Town.
Mohammed Siraj took career-best figures of 6-15 as the hosts were skittled in 23.2 overs on a bouncy, lively pitch.
India were in complete control at 153-4 but lost their last six wickets for no runs in 11 balls as they were dismissed soon after tea.
Lungi Ngidi took three wickets in the 34th over to spark a stunning collapse.
KL Rahul was his first victim, nicking an uppercut to wicketkeeper Kyle Verreynne, before Ravindra Jadeja gloved a rising ball to gully and Jasprit Bumrah was dismissed in similar fashion off the shoulder of the bat.
Virat Kohli, who top-scored with 46, edged Kagiso Rabada to second slip in the next over, Siraj was run out without facing and Prasidh Krishna also nicked to the cordon.
Six batters were out for a duck in India’s innings – and it was the first time a team has lost six wickets without scoring a run in Test history.
Rabada, Ngidi and left-armer Nandre Burger finished with three wickets each.
In total the teams’ first two innings lasted just 349 balls or 58.1 overs – the second-fewest ever – as both sides struggled to deal with the ball rising off a length.
Verreynne was South Africa’s highest scorer with 15, as only two of the Proteas’ batters reached double figures after Elgar won the toss and opted to bat.
Opener Elgar, captaining in his final Test before retiring, was bowled for two by Siraj, who also had Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, David Bedingham, Jansen and Verreynne caught either by the wicketkeeper or in the slips.
Jasprit Bumrah took 2-25 and Mukesh Kumar 2-0.
It was the Proteas’ lowest Test total since they were dismissed for 45 by Australia in Melbourne in 1932 and the eighth-lowest score in their history.
South Africa: Dean Elgar (captain), Aiden Markram, Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne(w), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Nandre Burger, Lungi Ngidi
India: Rohit Sharma(c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Mukesh Kumar.