Johannesburg, December 16, 2006 - India hit back with three early wickets to push South Africa on the back foot on the second day of the first cricket Test here today.

Seamers Sreesanth and Zaheer Khan rattled the hosts with three strikes without any additional run and reduced the hosts to 21 for 3 at lunch in reply to India's first innings score of 249.

Sreesanth had a hand in two of these dismissals as he claimed Graeme Smith (5) leg before wicket and then had Hashim Amla caught brilliantly low down in second slip by VVS Laxman.

Zaheer Khan, in between, had Herschelle Gibbs (0) caught at gully by Virender Sehwag.

Earlier an exhilarating last-wicket stand stretched the Indian total.

Last man VRV Singh was comical but effective in smashing 29 off 26 balls and put on 44 runs from 35 balls with the irrepressible Sourav Ganguly (51) as the visitors, starting the day at 156 for 5, added 93 further runs.

Ganguly was outstanding in his comeback innings and despite his dour vigil also played several pleasing strokes, including a pulled six off Makhaya Ntini.

In all, his unbeaten knock spanned nearly three hours and consumed 101 balls, studded with four fours and a six.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni appeared to get behind the line of the deliveries before an absolutely stunning catch in the outfield sent him back into the dressing room.

Dhoni made a cracking off-drive off Ntini and Shaun Pollock (4-39) at mid-off threw himself full-stretched to catch the chance inches off the ground.

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