England posted a mammoth first-innings total of 578 before reducing India to 59-2 at lunch on the third day of the opening test in Chennai on Sunday.
On a slow track that offered little carry, fast bowler Jofra Archer dismissed both Indian openers to leave the hosts reeling at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
Home captain Virat Kohli was batting on four at the break with Cheteshwar Pujara, who was on 20, with India still 519 runs behind.
Earlier, England’s tail added 23 runs to their overnight score of 555-8 before being all out.
Jasprit Bumrah (3-84) trapped Dom Bess lbw for 34 and Ravichandran Ashwin bowled James Anderson to finish with figures of 3-146.
India’s response was dealt a double blow by Archer.
Hit for a boundary in the previous delivery, the fast bowler had Rohit Sharma caught behind for six with a back-of-length delivery outside the off-stump.
Shubman Gill played five exquisite boundaries at the other end, scoring at a run-a-ball rate, before a superb piece of athleticism from Anderson cut short his stay.
Stationed at mid-on, Anderson dived to his left to take a brilliant catch after Gill had spooned the ball attempting an on-drive against Archer.
