Mohali, Nov 5: India suffered early losses in the pre-lunch session of the first cricket test match against South Africa here on Thursday.
India were 92 for loss of three wickets, including Skipper Virat Kohli.
A couple of important wickets towards the latter half of the first session gave South Africa a tremendous boost after losing the toss.
Both teams have gone in with five bowlers on a pitch that seemed quite dry and losing three of their top order batsmen in just the first session put India under a lot of pressure.
Shikhar Dhawan flashed at a Vernon Philander delivery and edged to first slip in just the second over.
Murali Vijay and Cheteshwar Pujara put on a 63-run stand there after. Pujara scored three quick boundaries before settling in. Vijay was more circumspect. A streaky edge over gully and a top-edged sweep beyond short fine leg gave him a few nervous moments but he was largely quite solid. Just as the partnership was threatening to make South Africa toil, the breakthrough came from the most unlikely corner.
Dean Elgar who was brought on, presumably, to facilitate a change of ends for debutant, Kagiso Rabada sprung a surprise by trapping Pujara (31) LBW with one that held its line.
Next went Indian skipper Virat Kohli cheaply falling to Rabada.
