Opener B Sai Sudharsan and skipper KL Rahul smashed fifties but South Africa fought back to bowl out India for a modest 211 in the second ODI of the three-match series here on Tuesday.
Sudharsan made a well-compiled 83-ball 62 studded with seven boundaries and a six, while Rahul cracked a 64-ball 56 laced with seven hits to the fence as the duo added 68 runs for the third wicket.
But none of the other batters could make it count as South African bowlers forced their way back into the game with regular strikes, dismissing the visitors in 46.2 overs.
Put in to bat, India found the going tough with South African seamers, especially Nandre Burger (3/30 in 10 overs), exploiting the pace and bounce on offer at the St George's Park pitch to trouble the visitors.
Ruturaj Gaikwad (4) was trapped in front in the second ball off Burger but Sudharsan and Tilak Varma (10) managed to absorb the pressure created by the seamers in the initial overs.
While Tilak was struggling a bit, opener Sudharsan was all class as he played his off drivers and pulls with ease for boundaries as India reached 46 for one in the first powerplay.
However, Tilak was sent back by Burger with a bouncer, bringing skipper Rahul on to the crease.
With the South African seamers bowling in tandem, runs dried up as India could score only 10 runs in next six overs from 11 to 16.
Sudharsan too looked a bit subdued but once spinner Keshav Maharaj (2/51 in 10 overs) was introduced, he produced a slog-sweep to send the ball over deep mid-wicket for the first six.
In the 20th over, Sudharsan dived to complete a risky singles to complete his second successive fifty.
After a watchful start, Rahul produced two pull shots for successive boundaries off Wiaan Mulder (0/19 in 4 overs), before finding the ropes off Lizaad Williams (1/49 in 9 overs) and Aiden Markram (1/28 in 4 overs) to bring up the team 100 in the 24th over.
Williams broke the 68-run stand, dismissing Sudharshan, who was a bit surprised by the extra bounce and ended up edging one to Klaasen.
Sanju Samson then wasted the opportunity as he dragged one on to the stumps off Beuran Hendricks (2/34 in 9.2 overs) as India slipped to 136 for four in 32 overs.
Rahul punished Maharaj for a poor delivery with a sweep shot and then picked up three runs to complete his fifty in 60 balls.
Debutant Rinku Singh then danced down the pitch to send the spinner over long-on as 16 runs came off the 35th over.
Rahul then played a ramp shot for a four and just when things were looking up, it all went downhill.
First, Rahul was removed by Burger for his third wicket with David Miller taking the catch at backward point and then five balls later, Rinku was stumped off Maharaj's bowling as the visitors were suddenly reduced to 169 for six.
Maharaj then accounted for Kuldeep Yadav (1), while Axar Patel (7) holed out at long-off off Markram.
Avesh Khan (9) and Arshdeep Singh (18) then smashed a six each to take India past the 200-run mark.
