Joe Root struck a majestic ton and Moeen Ali a sublime 99 not out as England reached 311 for four at the close on day one in Rajkot.
Root made 124, his 11th Test hundred and first in Asia, as England dominated after losing three wickets before lunch.
The Yorkshire star put on 179 with Ali who will resume on Thursday needing just one run for his fourth Test hundred.
Alastair Cook won the toss and opted to bat, striding out to the middle with 19-year-old debutant Haseeb Hameed, who took to Test cricket immediately.
The captain, playing in his 55th Test as skipper to break Michael Atherton’s record, was dropped twice in quick succession in a nervy start. Ajinkya Rahane put down the first at gully, then captain Virat Kohli the second, though the latter was a difficult chance.
Hameed looked largely unflappable at the other end, despite being dropped himself at slip by Murali Vijay, looking especially positive against the spinners.
The youngster could have helped his captain out when he was adjudged LBW off Ravindra Jadeja for 21, Hameed seemingly instructing Cook not review the decision when replays subsequently showed the ball was missing leg stump.
Hameed and new partner Root scored quickly, offering a glimpse into England’s future, before the former was pinned on the back pad by Ravichandran Ashwin. The opener decided to review the decision, but the ball was ploughing into the stumps.
Ben Duckett started in aggressive fashion, taking Ashwin for 12 in one over thanks to two sweeps and a brilliantly wristy cover drive, but he then edged to first slip in the last over before lunch as Rahane made amends for his earlier drop with an excellent, low catch.
Resuming on 102 for three, Moeen Ali had a let off from the second ball of the session as he edged one onto his pad, the ball just falling short of Cheteshwar Pujara at short leg. But Root picked up where he left off, enhancing his formidable average against India with another 50.
He and Ali rotated the strike efficiently and punished any bad balls, Root particularly dismissive of anything full or short. He did survive an LBW review from Yadav, the ball only just clipping the leg stump.
Moeen charged down the track to Ashwin, whacking him over mid-wicket, to signal that England wouldn’t allow Kohli or his spinners to build pressure. India’s task then got harder, as Shami pulled up with what looked like cramp and left the field for treatment, though he later returned.
By tea England had moved on to 209 for three with Root on 98, and shortly after Ali brought up his half ton, the number three moved to his eleventh Test ton, and his first in Asia.
Having pocketed another landmark in his formidable career, Root then struck the game’s first six, bunting Jadeja back over his head. All the while, he and Ali kept rotating the strike and accumulating steadily.
The runs kept coming, Root reverse sweeping Ashwin to the fence two balls after Ali had carved him over wide mid on. Half way through the evening session, the run rate moved beyond 4.30.
Root finally fell for 124, though not without controversy as Yadav appeared to lose control of the ball while celebrating a caught and bowled, prompting the umpires to go upstairs. With a soft signal of out on the field, the decision stood and Root had to go, the partnership curtailed on 179.
But Moeen continued the England charge with an array of attractive strokes and after finally getting off the mark against India at the fourth attempt, Ben Stokes swatted Ashwin for six before pulling Mishra for four behind square leg.
A couple of bonus overs at the day’s end allowed Moeen a look at a century, but a single in the final over means he is perched on 99 not out overnight and England 311-4.
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