Skipper AB de Villers smashed an unbeaten 104 off 73 balls to lift South Africa to 303-5 in the first one-day international against India in Kanpur on Sunday.
Faf du Plessis chipped in with 62 as the tourists took advantage of the short boundaries at the Green Park stadium after de Villiers won the toss and elected to bat.
The captain reached his century off the last ball of the innings, hitting Umesh Yadav for a six. He finished with six sixes and five boundaries.
Farhaan Behardien was unbeaten on a 19-ball 35 as the Proteas plundered 86 runs in the final six overs.
India were dealt a blow when frontline spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, playing his 100th one-dayer, suffered a side strain while bowling his fourth over and left the field.
Ashwin returned to bowl only one more over before going off again.
South African openers Hashim Amla and Quinton de Kock put on 45 before the introduction of Ashwin in the ninth over separated the pair.
The off-spinner struck with his fourth delivery as he got de Kock (29) to edge a catch to Suresh Raina at first slip.
Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni surprisingly removed Ashwin from the attack after one over, allowing Amla and du Plessis to settle in and build a 59-run partnership for the second wicket.
Leg-spinner Amit Mishra bowled Amla for 37 and du Plessis, who reached his half-century with a six off Raina, was leg-before to fast bowler Yadav in the 34th over.
India will chase a stiff target against an attack that includes pace spearheads Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, who were rested for the preceding Twenty20 series which their team won 2-0.
The five-match series will be followed by four Tests.– AFP