India fought back with two wickets late in the first session to reduce England to 89-4 at lunch on Day 3 of the second test at Lord's on Saturday.
England was in a solid position at 77-2 before debutant Ollie Pope and captain Joe Root were dismissed to bring India back into the match.
India's hopes of levelling the five-match series appeared faint after the tourists were bowled out for 107 on a rain-interrupted second day. That followed a first-day washout in London.
India's captain Virat Kohli celebrates as India's Ishant Sharma, left, takes the wicket of England's Alastair Cook during the third day of the second test match between England and India at Lord's cricket ground in London, Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018. (AP PhotoKirsty Wigglesworth)
But fine seam bowling revived Virat Kohli's India.
Alastair Cook and Keaton Jennings made a positive start, moving to 28-0 before India's opening bowlers hit back with a wicket each.
Mohammed Shami trapped Jennings lbw for 11 with a full delivery. Ishant Sharma had Cook caught behind for 21 in the following over, leaving England 32-2.
England's Ollie Pope plays a shot off the bowling of India's Kuldeep Yadav during the third day of the second test match between England and India at Lord's cricket ground in London, Saturday, Aug. 11, 2018. (AP PhotoKirsty Wigglesworth)
Twenty-year-old debutant Ollie Pope settled quickly and displayed his shot-making ability before Hardik Pandya got him lbw for 28 from 38 balls with lunch approaching.
Having never appeared comfortable, Root went for 19, also lbw to Shami, with no review available to him after both of England's had been wasted by Jennings and Pope. The decision was correct anyway and Root's wicket took the players to lunch.
Jonny Bairstow (4 not out) will be joined by Jos Buttler when England resumes, trailing by 18 runs.
England won a tight opening test by 31 runs at Edgbaston a week ago to lead the series.