James Anderson put England on top at the Wankhede Stadium in the must-win final Test in Mumbai - before India struck back late on.
Lancashire paceman Anderson finished with four wickets and a run out as the tourists secured a 121-run lead on first innings in their bid to level the series.
Fittingly it was the 23-year-old, playing his first Test in 14 months due to the injury crisis which has swept through the camp, who wrapped up the innings for 279 when he bowled last man Munaf Patel.
However, England lost both openers in the final hour to nicks behind the wicket as they closed on 31 for two, 152 ahead. First-innings centurion Andrew Strauss and Ian Bell were both caught by wicketkeeper Mahendra Dhoni, off Patel and Sri Sreesanth respectively.
India had resumed on 89 for three and Andrew Flintoff made the first incision on the third day. After one big appeal for a caught behind was correctly turned down earlier in the over, left-hander Yuvraj Singh toe-ended a cut to be spectacularly caught by Geraint Jones, diving in front of Owais Shah at first slip.
Rahul Dravid provided Anderson with his first wicket of the day as Jones took another diving catch, the India captain reaching 52 to give his side's first innings a semblance of stability before glancing down the legside.
Irfan Pathan holed out in the deep off Shaun Udal before Anderson's fielding got rid of dangerman Dhoni for 64. Anderson swooped to his right at mid-on and hit the stumps direct with his throw and umpire Darrell Hair referred the decision to technology. Third umpire Krishna Hariharan viewed numerous replays of the incident before awarding a hairline decision in the favour of Flintoff's team.
Anderson wasted little time in gaining a third wicket of the innings when, with his second ball from the Tata end, a delivery induced an edge from Harbhajan Singh's bat and wicketkeeper Jones clutched a fine catch high to his right.
Spinner Monty Panesar gained a solitary success when he halted a frustrating stand between Anil Kumble and Sreesanth, snaring the legspinner lbw attempting to sweep.
Earlier in the day there was an intriguing battle between Dhoni and Flintoff, with the latter peppering his opponent with short balls. In the midst of the confrontation England's request to change the ball - after just 47.5 overs of the innings - was granted. The new one clattered into the back of Dhoni's helmet from a well-directed bouncer in a highly eventful Flintoff over.
After being struck behind the left ear, Dhoni took his time between balls to regain his composure, which only added to the painfully slow nature of the morning session. Despite the fierce heat umpires Simon Taufel and Hair gave both sides a hurry-up, after Dhoni changed his headgear.
Six overs were lost yesterday due to lack of urgency from both sides and three more were unused today.