At the close of play, India were on nine without loss, trailing the Proteas by 480 runs in their first innings.
All-rounder Senuran Muthusamy hit his first Test century on Sunday, playing a key role as South Africa laid a solid foundation on day two of the second match against India in Guwahati.
The tourists reached 489 before they were bowled out shortly before the close of play.
The Proteas resumed their first innings at 247/6 in the morning session, with Muthusamy on 25 not out and Kyle Verreynne unbeaten on one.
The duo went on to share 88 runs for the seventh wicket before Verreynne was removed for 45 midway through the second session when he was stumped by wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant after lunging at a delivery from experienced spinner Ravindra Jadeja.
Another useful partnership
Muthusamy then combined in a 97-run partnership for the eighth wicket with fellow all-rounder Marco Jansen, which was broken when the centurion fell in the second over of the final session.
Muthusamy, who got a top edge off a short ball from fast bowler Mohammed Siraj which was caught by Yashasvi Jaiswal at fine leg, contributed 109 runs off 206 deliveries.
Jansen went on to hit a career best 93 runs, falling just seven runs short of his maiden Test ton when he got a bottom edge onto his stumps off a Kuldeep Yadav delivery.
Yadav was the best of India’s bowlers, taking 4/115, while Siraj, Jadeja and Jasprit Bumrah took two scalps each.
At the close of play, India were on nine without loss, trailing the Proteas by 480 runs in their first innings, with Jaiswal on seven not out and KL Rahul unbeaten on two.
