LIVE: India suffer top-order collapse

As the numero uno Test side, India have a healthy points' lead over second-ranked South Africa and will not lose their crown even if they lose by a landslide 0-3 margin. This, however, is not merely about points and rankings for Kohli's side.

LIVE Score, Ind vs SA Test Cricket Match, Day 1, Cape Town

That's it for the day!

India reach 28/3 at stumps on day 1, trail hosts by 258 runs

Oh No! Kohli departs as well

Morne Morkel adds his name to the wicket column with just 6 overs to spare. India in big trouble. Rohit Sharma walks in to bat

Dale Steyn strikes

Shikhar Dhawan gifts his wicket at the stroke of stumps. Dale Steyn makes entry in the top 10 highest wickets takers list in Test cricket

Philander draws the first blood!

Consistently bowling nagging lines and lengths around that off stump channel has paid dividends for him and his side. Vijay is the man to go. IND 16/1

Vijay survives!

Not Out! A review goes down the drain

08.35 PM: The players are back in the middle

Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan to start with the bat for India. Vernon Philander to kickstart proceeding with the ball.

08.26 PM: That's it! India have bundled South Africa for 286

07.55 PM: Ashwin gets his first wicket

Deflection and Saha takes it with a leap. Rabada is the man to go. SA 282/9

07.30 PM: Keshav Maharaj departs

The Indian bowlers were struggling to pick up wickets and the partnership has been broken by a run-out! 

07.05 PM: At this stage anything above 250 will be a bonus for South Africa

07.0Session,Day 1

06.40 PM: That's the end session 2

India managed to get rid of both de Villiers and du Plessis quickly after Lunch but then a 60-run stand in 54 balls between de Kock and Philander revived the Proteas again. However, once more, India managed to remove those two and ended the session with momentum in their favour.

06. 35 PM: Shami gets his name on the wickets column

Maintaining the length, Shami gets Philander to play it this time but he is comprehensively beaten. The ball kisses the top of the middle stump. South Africa lose their 7th wicket at the stroke of tea.

06.27 PM: Maharaj dropped

The slip cordon still continues to haunt India! Keshav Maharaj plays it loosely and the ball flies towards the third slip. Shikhar gets across and shells it. He has hurt his finger as well.

06.15 PM: Bhuvneshwar gets Quinton de Kock caught behind

A beautiful delivery from Bhuvneshwar forced Quniton to play at that but at the last moment he thinks of leaving it alone but that was too late, gifting a catch to Wriddhiman Saha. Bhuvneshwar gets his fourth wicket.

05.25 PM: Du Plessis walks back

Hardik Panya sends the most dangerous batsman packing, half the South African side is back in the pavilion. The hosts are in big trouble. SA 142/5

05.20 PM: Time for Faf to raise his bat

The South African skipper gets to his fifty with a fine four at the backward point. 

05.09 PM: Maiden Test wicket for Bumrah

Bumrah makes no mistakes this time, bowls a full-length delivery, de Villiers tries to drive the ball but an inside edge sends him packing on 65. SA 126/4

04.59 PM: Bumrah guilty again

Virat decides to go for DRS on a Faf du Plessis caught-behind chance but Bumrah has overstepped. However, India don’t lose their review since it was an illegal delivery

04.44 PM: 100-run partnership come for the experienced pair

04.40 PM: Session 2, Day 1

The players are back in the middle. Jasprit Bumrah to start with the ball for India.

04.05 PM: de Villiers, du Plessis push South Africa to 107/3 at lunch

South Africa's most lethal pair managed a formidable 95 runs for the fourth wicket after India's Bhuvneshwar Kumar ran through the SA top order. De Villiers was at his elemental as he hit 11 boundaries in his 65-ball innings while du Plessis also showed positive intent, hitting seven fours.

03.42 PM: de Villiers gets to fifty

A rocking cut shot for four to bring up his 41st Test fifty in just 55 balls. What a counter-attacking innings it has been by AB de Villiers. SA: 91/3

03.16 PM: Close shave for du Plessis

The third umpire is taking a long time, which indicates it will be ruled in favour of the batsman and yes, not out it is. A close shave for the South African captain. Shami gets one to bounce off length, it goes off the top half of the bat, Kohli at second slip leans forward to gather the ball and appeals immediately. He is not sure though.

03.12 PM: du Plessis joins the act

Consecutive boundaries and the destructive South African pair of du Plessis and de Villiers have launched a calculative counter attack at Newlands. Bumrah guilty of overpitching on both the occasions. SA: 64/3

02.35 PM: De Villiers arrives

No one, not two but four fours, that too off Bhuvneshwar. AB de Villiers has decided to take the attack to Indians. And rightly so, he should not allow Bhuvneshwar to bowl in the beautiful line he had settled into. 17 run off the over. This Test match is already taking fascinating turns.

02.22 PM: Amla goes

Another one bites the dust, it's the big fish Amla. Well he would be disappointed after watching that shot. A delivery around fifth stump, Amla goes for an expansive backfoot punch only to get a thick outside edge. South Africa have lost their top three and all of them to Bhuvneshwar Kumar. In real trouble at 12/3

02.13 PM: Both openers gone

Bhuvneshwar is on fire! After making a couple to go away, he brings one in to trap a confused Markram right in front. The umpire thinks about it and raises his finger. Markram consults Amla but decides against reviewing it. South Africa have lost both their openers. 

02.09 PM: First runs

A confident forward defence from Aiden Markram and we have the first runs of the series. He is a talented young player and he needs to see off the new ball with the experienced Hashim Amla for company.

02.03 PM: Bhuvi strikes in first over

WOW! Edged and gone! What a start for India and Bhuvneshwar Kumar. South Africa's highest scorer of 2017, Dean Elgar is out for a duck. After a couple going down the leg side, Bhuvi produces the perfect delivery that goes with the angle, forces Elgar to poke and gets the outside edge. SA: 0/1

01.55 PM: Right then, the players have made their way out into the centre and we are all set for the ball. Dean Elgar is taking guard and Bhuvneshwar Kumar has the new ball for India.

South Africa (Playing XI): Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Faf du Plessis(c), Quinton de Kock(w), Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj, Dale Steyn, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel

India (Playing XI): Shikhar Dhawan, Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli(c), Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha(w), Hardik Pandya, Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah

Team News: Virat Kohli says he would have bowled first. India are going in with three seamers, one spinner and Hardik Pandya as the all-rounder. Hold on to your seats folks, Ajinkya Rahane, the vice-captain has been DROPPED! Rohit Sharma will at No. 5.

01.30 PM, Toss: South Africa won the toss and opted to bat first.

0.1.25 PM, Jasprit Bumrah has been given the Test cap. So there comes the first big news from Cape Town with limited overs specialist Bumrah getting to make his Test debut.

Proud moment for @Jaspritbumrah93 as he receives his Test cap from #TeamIndia Skipper @imVkohli #FreedomSeries #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/H7s4w8gSmh

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 5, 2018

01.20 PM, Pitch Report: Shaun Pollock says it's tricky but captain winning the toss should bat first

Preview

As the numero uno Test side, India have a healthy points' lead over second-ranked South Africa and will not lose their crown even if they lose by a landslide 0-3 margin. This, however, is not merely about points and rankings for Kohli's side.

South Africa has landed the verbal blows with captain du Plessis clearly mentioning his intentions of taking revenge from India and fast bowler Vernon Philander completely brushing off India’s preparations ahead of the series.

They will be relying on their formidable fast bowling attack to dismantle India's strong batting line-up, but after nine successive Test series wins, India are brimming with confidence and a belief that they can thrive in any conditions.

Six of India's series wins have come at home and three others -- two in Sri Lanka and one in the West Indies – were in favourable conditions.

India last lost a series in 2014-15 when they were beaten 2-0 in Australia in a four-Test contest.

Both the sides face problems of plenty. India face a dicey situation of selecting three fast bowlers from the impressive pool of Mohammad Shami, Umesh Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah.

Another topic of discussion is the No. 6 slot with Rohit being the front-runner with Hardik Pandya being a close competitor.

South Africa, on the other hand, have a tough decision of their own on whether to select Steyn or Morkel as their third seamer.