India's Axar Patel returned to haunt England with a two-wicket burst as the tourists slumped to 74-3 at lunch on the opening day of the final test in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
Jonny Bairstow, batting on 28, and Ben Stokes, 24 not out, combined in a flourishing 44-run stand after the top order failed to justify skipper Joe Root's decision to bat at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
Left-arm spinner Patel was the wrecker-in-chief when India thumped England inside two days in the third Test at the same venue.
The 27-year-old proved a handful again at his home ground claiming two wickets in his first two overs.
Dom Sibley made two before he inside-edged a Patel delivery onto his stumps, playing for the turn that was not there.
In Patel's next over, Zak Crawley, England's top scorer in the previous match, stepped out to chip the ball to mid-off and depart for nine.
Quick Mohammed Siraj, replacing Jasprit Bumrah in the lone change to the India squad, struck the biggest blow when he trapped Root leg before wicket for five with an inswinger to reduce England to 30-3.
Bairstow had managed a pair of ducks in the third test but the number three batsman looked determined to make amends as he and Stokes overcame occasional discomforts to punish the loose balls.
Stokes smashed a six off Ravichandran Ashwin but was largely patient as the situation demanded.
The tourists earlier strengthened their spin department by recalling off-spinner Dom Bess. Batsman Dan Lawrence was also recalled, while quicks Jofra Archer and Stuart Broad were dropped.
India, 2-1 up in the series, need a draw to secure their place in the June final of the World Test Championship against New Zealand.
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