Hardik Pandya went on a thrilling counter-attack but could not prevent South Africa from finishing on top on the second day of the first Test at Newlands on Saturday.

Pandya scored a swashbuckling 93, then took two wickets, but South Africa built on a first innings lead of 77 and were 65 for two at the close, an overall lead of 142 on a pitch which has helped fast bowlers.

India had slumped to 92 for seven in reply to South Africa's first innings total of 286 when Pandya found a determined ally in Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

While 24-year-old Pandya went for his shots, Kumar took 34 balls to score his first run but then played some fine strokes of his own, scoring 25 in an eighth wicket partnership of 99 which more than doubled their team's total.

The partnership frustrated the South African bowlers and kept them in the field long enough for Dale Steyn to give South Africa another injury scare.

Steyn, in his first Test match since suffering a fractured shoulder in Australia in November 2014, had taken two for 51 when he pulled up with a bruised heel and left the field three balls into his 18th over.

After treatment in the dressing room he was sent for a scan.

Steyn would have hoped to end Pandya's innings -- and hasten the demise of the Indian batting effort -- long before he was called upon to bowl a fourth spell in what was his longest and most intensive bowling effort since his shoulder injury.

Pandya struggled against Steyn early in his innings. He survived on a review after being given out caught behind off the fast bowler on five and was dropped by Dean Elgar at gully off Steyn when he had 15.

SCORES IN BRIEF

SOUTH AFRICA: First innings 286 (De Villiers 65, Du Plessis 62, De Kock 43, Maharaj 35; Kumar 4-87, Ashwin 2-21)

INDIA: First innings 209 (Pujara 26, Pandya 93, Kumar 25; Philander 3-33, Steyn 2-51, Morkel 2-57, Rabada 3-34)

SOUTH AFRICA: Second innings 65 for 2 (Markram 34, Elgar 25; Pandya 2-17)