Guwahati- Temba Bavuma paid price for his momentary indiscretion while Tristan Stubbs fell prey to Kuldeep Yadav's guile as bowlers put India on top in the second Test, reducing South Africa to 247 for six on an attritional opening day's cricket, here.

It was a track with a difference where survival, unlike Kolkata, wasn't difficult but at the same time, it wasn't a belter either where a team could just race away with a flurry of boundaries.

The Indian bowlers - especially Kuldeep (3/48) and Jasprit Bumrah (1/38) - displayed immaculate control and mastery on a track that was reasonably good for batting with no signs of variable bounce whatsoever.

Ravindra Jadeja (1/30) didn't get much help off the surface but dismissing Bavuma (41 off 92 balls) was one of the turning points of day one.

It was an over-pitched delivery and Bavuma wanted to play the lofted drive over mid-off. The ball stopped on him and hit slightly higher part of the bat and never got the elevation required. Yashasvi Jaiswal pouched it smartly.

This was after his 84-run stand with Tristan Stubbs (49 off 112 balls) and South Africa were looking good to carry on with the momentum.

Following Bavuma's dismissal, Tristan Stubbs, playing his first innings of note in the series, also lost concentration.

It was a delivery from Kuldeep that was angled across Stubbs who wanted to play a non-existent steer as a practice catch went to KL Rahul at the first slip.

Stubbs did look good after some initial jitters as he used his big 6 feet 4 inch frame to come down the track, defend the deliveries based on length and attack when need be. Both his sixes off Kuldeep - one over long-on and other over long-off - were a result of picture-perfect footwork.

The two quick wickets resulted in a third as Wiaan Mulder (13) also repeated the mistake made by Bavuma. The bowler this time, though, was Kuldeep, who had tossed one up outside the off-stump, enticing him to go for an inside out drive over extra cover.

Once again there was no elevation and Jaiswal made no mistake as South Africa from a comfortable 166 for 2 slumped to 201 for 5.

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