Joe Root and Stuart Broad led the attack as England turned the screw on India to make 486 all out before an early lunch was taken as the result of rain on day three of the fifth Test at The Oval.
In response, India reached 9-2 by the interval, having lost Murali Vijay lbw to James Anderson, and Gautam Gambhir, who was run out in bizarre fashion.
Root reached his century early on the third day and then survived dragging the ball on to this wicket off Ishant Sharma when the dismissal was overruled for a no ball.
England lost Chris Jordan just one ball after Root reached three figures as he edged behind to MS Dhoni off the bowling of Ishant.
Jordan's dismissal brought Broad to the crease, and the Nottinghamshire man wasted little time in smashing 37 off just 20 balls before being caught by Virat Kohli to become another Ishant scalp.
Root remained unbeaten on 149, before India got off to a dreadful start in their bid to close a first-innings deficit of 338.
