India suffered a 51-run defeat in the second T20I in Mullanpur on Thursday after their top order failed to get going against a rampant South African pace attack.
Chasing a massive target of 214, India were bowled out for 162 with five balls to spare. All ten wickets were taken by the pacers, with Ottneil Baartman being the most successful, grabbing 4/24.
Tilak Varma was the lone pillar of resistance for India, slamming 62 off 34 balls including five sixes before being last out.
Both Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav, who have found runs hard to come by lately, failed again.
Gill fell for a golden duck in the first over, caught at first slip by Reeza Hendricks off Lungi Ngidi.
Abhishek Sharma got off to a blazing start as usual, hitting a couple of sixes, before being caught behind by wicket-keeper Quinton de Kock off Marco Jansen in the second over for 17 off eight balls.
Jansen struck again in his next over, removing SKY for five. The skipper got a faint nick through to the keeper that was initially given not out but South Africa successfully reviewed the decision.
Baartman then sent back Axar Patel for a run-a-ball 21, caught by Hendricks at cover to leave India in dire straits at 67/4 in the eighth over.
Varma's valiant effort only served to reduce the margin of defeat, while wicket-keeper Jitesh Sharma showed a brief glimpse of his potential with a cameo of 27 off 17 balls.
Earlier, a rollicking knock by opener Quinton de Kock powered South Africa to a hefty 213/4.
de Kock smashed 90 off just 46 balls including five fours and seven sixes. He looked set for a ton but was run out after a smart piece of work by Jitesh.
Donovan Ferreira and David Miller provided the impetus at the death with an unbroken partnership of 53. Ferreira slammed 30 off 16 balls, while Miller hit 20 off 12.
For India, Varun Chakravarthy was the most successful as well as most economical bowler with figures of 2/29 in his four overs.
Chakarvarthy made the first two breakthroughs for the hosts, castling Reeza Hendricks for 8 with his first ball, and then having skipper Aiden Markram caught by Axar Patel for 29.
de Kock reached his fifty off just 26 balls as he took heavy toll of some loose bowling by India.
Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh had an offday, bowling seven wides in one over and eventually conceding 54 runs without a wicket.
Earlier, India skipper Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and elected to bowl as the hosts look to extend their 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
India, who produced a commanding 101-run win in the opening game in Cuttack, retained the same playing XI despite concerns around their top-order form.
South Africa, on the other hand, rung in three changes after their batting imploded under pressure in the first match. Reeza Hendricks, George Linde and Ottneil Baartman come into the side, replacing Tristan Stubbs, Keshav Maharaj and Anrich Nortje. With their batting depth and power-hitters capable of shifting the game on any day, the visitors will be desperate to bounce back and level the series.
Playing XI
India: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Axar Patel, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (w), Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh.
South Africa: Reeza Hendricks, Quinton de Kock (w), Aiden Markram (c), Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Donovan Ferreira, George Linde, Marco Jansen, Lutho Sipamla, Lungi Ngidi, Ottneil Baartman.