India mount fight back in Durban

India's Zaheer Khan is congratulated by teamates for dismissing South African Graeme Smith Photograph: Alexander Joe/AFP/Getty Images

Zaheer Khan's two wickets, a lucky run out and a strike by Sreesanth just before lunch helped India fight back to reduce South Africa to 74 for four on day two of the second Test at Kingsmead.

It left the hosts 131 runs behind their visitors, who were dismissed for just 205 inside the first hour this morning, thanks to two wickets each for Morne Morkel and Dale Steyn, the latter ending with six for 50. Fast bowler Zaheer removed Graeme Smith for nine and Alviro Petersen for 24, while Ishant Sharma's stretch saw him divert the ball onto the stump to dismiss Jacques Kallis for 10. The wayward Sreesanth then finally managed a good ball that forced AB de Villiers into an edge for a duck. Hashim Amla, playing in his 50th Test, was left on 24 not out.

All that drama came after the Proteas had looked well on top following a fine opening in which they claimed the last four wickets for just 22 runs in 9.1 overs. Resuming on their overnight 183 for six, India were aiming to reach at least 250, but were given little chance thanks to another outstanding display from the South Africa attack.

Steyn completed his 15th career five-wicket haul in the fifth over of the day when Harbhajan Singh (21) was caught by De Villiers, who threw himself to his right at third slip. Zaheer (nought) then handed Morkel his first wicket via a routine catch for Mark Boucher as the hosts moved quickly through the tail. Mahendra Singh Dhoni tried to stem the flow of wickets with more attacking strokes and took his side past 200 by smashing Steyn for six over long-on.

But his changed approach led to his downfall for 35 as he was soon caught in the deep by Petersen again trying to hit out at Steyn. And Sreesanth (nought) was last man out when he top-edged Morkel to Boucher. In reply, India could have had a wicket in the first over, but a Petersen edge off Zaheer flew wide of Murali Vijay at third slip.

But it was clear, though, that the fast bowler's presence amongst the bowlers meant there was an added threat - he missed the first Test due to a injury. The left-armer looked lively every time he ran in and was rewarded in the fifth over when Smith edged to Dhoni.

He soon had a second wicket too, bowling Petersen around his legs after the batsman shuffled across his stumps.

But Kallis and Amla took the hosts past 50, before the former was caught short after a straight drive by the latter was diverted onto the stumps. And De Villiers edged to Dhoni after a fine ball from Sreesanth, whose 5.4 overs went for 33, as the players went in to lunch.