Opener Rohit combined with vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane (67) to put on a crucial 162-run partnership for the fourth wicket on a pitch offering considerable help for the spinners from the outset.
Having so impressively won the opener in the four-match series at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, England seized early control at the same venue when reducing their opponents to 86-3.
Moeen Ali marked his recall to the XI with the prized wicket of Virat Kohli – who was bowled for a duck – as a much-changed attack prospered in the first session after losing the toss.
Olly Stone struck with just his third delivery, Shubman Gill paying for his decision not to offer a stroke as he was dismissed lbw, stunning those India fans inside the ground as part of a reduced crowd allowed to attend amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Cheteshwar Pujara made 21 before steering Jack Leach (2-78) to Ben Stokes at slip, while Kohli was left stunned in the next over when Moeen turned one prodigiously through between bat and pad to bowl the India skipper before he had a run to his name.
However, the stand between Rohit and Rahane put the tourists on the back foot. Even when the former eventually fell, sweeping Leach out to Moeen in the deep, India were already on course for a useful first-innings total, considering the conditions.
Rahane departed soon after, bowled by Moeen when trying an ambitious sweep shot of his own, while England captain Joe Root claimed the wicket of Ravichandran Ashwin (13).
Still, Rishabh Pant carried India to 300 in the final over and will resume on day two on 33 not out. He will have Axar Patel for company, the Test debutant reaching the close unbeaten on five.
Mixed fortunes for Moeen
England made the tough call to drop Dom Bess despite the off-spinner taking 17 Test wickets in 2021 at an average of 22.20. Root explained the decision was down to a lack of consistency, having only bowled eight overs in India's second innings in the previous game.
His replacement, however, was by no means more economical. Moeen reached an unwanted century as he finished Saturday's play with figures of 2-112 from his 26 overs, though he did of course dismiss Kohli.
Home comforts for Rohit
Rohit passed 150 for the fourth time in Test cricket, while all of his centuries in the format have come on home soil. This, however, was his first at Chennai.
On a slow, worn surface, the right-hander went along at an impressive scoring rate of 69.70 runs per 100 deliveries, hitting 18 fours and a pair of sixes. In the end, England needed help from the batsman to see the back of him.
Virat Kohli stepped down as skipper following the 2-1 series defeat to South Africa in January, which saw India slip from first to third in the ICC Test rankings.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced on Saturday that recently appointed white-ball captain Rohit would also take on the Test duties, starting with the two matches against Sri Lanka in March.
There was no place in the squad for Pujara or Rahane, however. Ishant Sharma and Wriddhiman Saha were also overlooked.
The quartet will instead contest the Ranji Trophy – India's domestic first-class cricket championship – in a bid to rediscover their form.
Ravindra Jadeja was included after recovering from injury and Ravichandran Ashwin was named as part of five-spinner attack despite being a fitness concern.
The Test series will follow a three-match Twenty20 series against Sri Lanka that starts on Thursday.
Sanju Samson joined Jadeja in returning from injury for that squad, while Kohli and Rishabh Pant were rested.
Jasprit Bumrah was welcomed back into the fold after being rested for the home limited-overs series against West Indies and received the vice-captaincy for both formats.
India Test squad:Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Ravichandran Ashwin, KS Bharat, Jasprit Bumrah, Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Virat Kohli, Saurabh Kumar, Priyank Panchal, Rishabh Pant, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Hanuma Vihari, Jayant Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Umesh Yadav.
India T20 squad:Rohit Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Deepak Chahar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Deepak Hooda, Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Avesh Khan, Ishan Kishan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Sanju Samson, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Suryakumar Yadav.
Opening batter Sharma was installed as Twenty20 International captain for the recent series win over New Zealand following Kohli's decision to step down at the conclusion of the T20 World Cup.
Rohit has now landed the role on a permanent basis and will also lead his country in the 50-over format.
The 34-year-old will also serve as Kohli's deputy in the longest format rather than Rahane, who has retained his place in the squad for the upcoming three-match Test series in South Africa.
Rohit, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami.return to the squad to face the Proteas after being rested for the 1-0 series win over New Zealand.
Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Shubman Gill and Rahul Chahar miss out due to injuries.
The first Test begins at Supersport Park on December 26.
India Test squad: Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Shreyas Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Mohd. Mohammed Shami., Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj.
Standby Players: Navdeep Saini, Saurabh Kumar, Deepak Chahar, Arzan Nagwaswalla.
The tourists were totally humiliated in the series opener at Adelaide Oval, capitulating to their lowest ever Test total of 36 all out in the second innings.
Virat Kohli returned home for the birth of his first child after that chastening defeat, while India also lost paceman Mohammed Shami for the remainder of the series with a fractured arm.
Stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane led by example in Melbourne, though, scoring a magnificent century to put his side on top after Australia made just 195 in the first innings.
Tim Paine's side were then bowled out for 200 on day four and India sealed an eight-wicket win after being set just 70 to level the series at 1-1.
Shastri said the tourists, who also lost Umesh Yadav to injury in the second innings, deserve massive credit for the way they responded to such a crushing loss.
The 58-year-old said: "I think this will go down in the annals of Indian cricket - no, world cricket - as one of the great comebacks in the history of the game.
"You know to be rolled over for 36 and then three days later to get up and be ready to punch was outstanding. The boys deserve all the credit for the character they have shown. Real character."
Shastri said there was no need for an inquest after the painful loss in Adelaide.
"[There was] No chat. And when we arrived in Melbourne, it was the things we have got to do to get up and fight," he said.
"We had a lot of positives in Adelaide but at the end of the day it is the result that counts. We were blown away in the second innings in one hour. So when you are blown away, you are blown away.
"There is nothing you can do about it than to get up and fight, which we did in this Test match.
"To beat a team like Australia, especially in Australia, there is no point having one good day or two good days, you have got to have five good days to beat them. As simple as that."
Shastri was full of praise for Rahane, who was unbeaten on 27 as he and Shubman Gill (35 not out) got India home after his brilliant first-innings hundred.
He said of Rahane's century: "The discipline, on such a big stage, in a massive arena, to come as captain of the team, bat at number four. When he went out to bat, we were two down for 60 and then to bat six hours on probably the toughest day to bat.
"It was overcast; all day the sun never came out. He batted for six hours. Unbelievable concentration. I thought his innings was the turning point."
The Black Caps beat India by eight wickets in the inaugural World Test Championship at the Ageas Bowl in June, so India will be out for revenge in the two-match series on home soil.
Virat Kohli has been rested for the first Test, so Ajinkya Rahane takes charge of a team that will not include Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami and Rishabh Pant.
Rohit, Bumrah, Shami and Pant have been given a rest for both games, while Rahul misses out due to a thigh strain.
India have plenty of strength in depth, though, and you have to go back 33 years for the last time they lost a home match against the Black Caps in the longest format.
New Zealand captain Williamson sat out India's 3-0 T20I whitewash of the tourists, which came so soon after his side had been beaten by Australia in the T20 World Cup final in Dubai.
The prolific batsman knows the Black Caps face a huge challenge, particularly without the opportunity to play any warm-up games.
He said: "I don't think we are favourites. One of the key strengths of Indian cricket is its depth. India has great knowledge of their own conditions, we know the challenge is a big one."
Williamson added: "As we have seen in this part of the world, the spin component has been very large and it has played a big role in changing the complexion of the game.
"I am sure throughout the whole series, the spin component will be a factor and it will be no different in Kanpur. It will be all about assessing the conditions as quickly as possible."
Opportunity knocks for Iyer
Shreyas Iyer will make his debut after Rahul was ruled out and is set to come into the middle order, with Shubman Gill to open with Mayank Agarwal.
The 26-year-old right-hander averages 52.18 in first-class cricket, scoring 12 centuries and boasting a strike-rate of 81.54.
Rahane hinted that India may play three spinners, stating: "We are not too sure of the combination. But in India you generally get spin-friendly wickets, the ball generally keeps slightly low and slow.
"We expect that but not too sure how the wicket will play. We will have to wait until tomorrow and assess from there."
Refreshed Jamieson closing in on half-century
Kyle Jamieson joined Williamson in missing the T20I series as the Black Caps managed his workload.
The paceman has made an outstanding start to his Test career and was man of the match when New Zealand beat India in the final in Southampton, having claimed match figures of 7-61.
Four wickets shy of 50 in the longest format, it would be a surprise if Jamieson does not come straight back into the team, particularly with Trent Boult not involved in the series.
New Zealand, who are unbeaten in nine Tests and have never gone 10 without defeat, must decide who replaces Devon Conway (broken hand) at the top of the order, with Will Young appearing set to get the nod.
Holding a slender first-innings lead of 27, England quickly put their opponents under pressure with three early wickets before Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane held up the hosts.
The duo put on a 100-run stand to help ease concerns for India, only for the tourists to then lose three wickets for 20 runs before the close, leaving the game wonderfully poised.
KL Rahul had scored a century on day one but fell for just five second time around, caught behind off the impressive Wood (3-40). Rohit Sharma erased the deficit with two fours and a six, though fell to the same bowler – caught in the deep taking on the short ball – before his side had gone ahead.
However, it was Sam Curran who struck the crucial blow, claiming his first wicket of the series as Virat Kohli was caught by wicketkeeper Jos Buttler after prodding tamely at a delivery outside off stump.
Kohli's departure for 20 left India teetering at 55-3 just prior to lunch, yet England's attack could not make further inroads in the afternoon session.
However, Pujara was eventually dismissed for a battling 45 by a brute of a delivery from Wood, the ball rising off a length to take the edge and be caught by Joe Root at second slip.
Ajinkya Rahane did reach his half-century but became one of two late wickets for off-spinner Moeen Ali, a thin edge ending his knock at 61. Ravindra Jadeja did not last too long, beaten by one that turned to be bowled for three.
Rishabh Pant survived a late trial by spin in fading light to finish on 20 not out, with his continued presence in the middle – and just the tail for company – adding further intrigue ahead of Monday's play.
Digging in
Pujara has had a lean time of it of late, this his highest score since making 73 against the same opponents in Chennai back in February. Indeed, since the start of 2020, he has averaged just 25.95 with no century since the tour of Australia over two years ago.
It took him 35 balls and 51 minutes to get off the mark on Sunday, a long-awaited single greeted by ironic cheers from the crowd and a wry smile from Pujara himself.
Wood makes things happen
England let slip a chance to dismiss Rahane on 31, Jonny Bairstow unable to hang on to a tough diving chance off Ali, but the late clatter of wickets could be crucial in the final reckoning.
Wood started the mini-collapse by ending Pujara's stubborn resistance, fine reward for the pace bowler's perseverance on a sluggish surface. Worryingly, though, he was not on the field at the finish after hurting his shoulder diving to stop a boundary.
