West Indies captain Jason Holder took 5-56 as India were restricted to 367 runs in their first innings to leave the second test evenly balanced at lunch on day three.
Ravichandran Ashwin scored 35 runs and put on a vital 28 runs with injured Shardul Thakur (four not out) for the tenth wicket to help India take a 56-run lead over West Indies' first innings' total of 311, after the hosts lost 5-31 in a stuttering morning session on Sunday.
Starting from 308-4 overnight, India never really got away as West Indies made good use of the second new ball to achieve regular breakthroughs, with Holder in particular bowling with menace as he ran through the Indian middle and lower order to record his first five wicket haul against the hosts.
West Indies' captain Jason Holder gestures as he walks back after India's first innings during the third day of the second cricket test match between India and West Indies in Hyderabad, India, Sunday, Oct. 14, 2018. (AP PhotoMahesh Kumar A.)
Holder removed Ajinkya Rahane for 80 and Ravindra Jadeja for no score in the space of three deliveries in the 84th over. Rahane couldn't counter Holder's extra bounce and was caught at gully, while Jadeja was out lbw playing down the wrong line to a ball that straightened.
Shannon Gabriel (3-107) aided his new ball partner as Pant went for a cover drive and was caught for 92, falling short of a century for the second test running.
India was then reduced to 334-8 in the 95th over as Holder bowled Kuldeep Yadav (6) to return his fifth five-wicket haul in test cricket.
India's Ravichandran Ashwin bats during the third day of the second cricket test match between India and West Indies in Hyderabad, India, Sunday, Oct. 14, 2018. (AP PhotoMahesh Kumar A.)
Umesh Yadav fell to left arm spinner Jomel Warrican (2-84) to leave India at 339-9, but Thakur, who missed out on the first two day's action of his debut test after a groin injury on day one, then combined with Ashwin to help build a small lead for the hosts.
India leads the two match series 1-0.
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West Indies' bowler Shannon Gabriel bowls during the third day of the second cricket test match between India and West Indies in Hyderabad, India, Sunday, Oct. 14, 2018. (AP PhotoMahesh Kumar A.)
West Indies' Jason Holder celebrates the dismissal of India's Ajinkya Rahane during the third day of the second cricket test match between India and West Indies in Hyderabad, India, Sunday, Oct. 14, 2018. (AP PhotoMahesh Kumar A.)