India failed to deliver the killer punch and Sussex put up a strong first innings total and then picked two early wickets to push them on the back foot in the four-day tour match in Hove on Monday.
Helped by a counter-attacking century by wicketkeeper-batsman Andy Hodd, Sussex witnessed a turnaround in their batting fortunes and posted 300 for six before declaring on a rain-curtailed third day.
Hodd scored an unbeaten 106 and his late surge helped the hosts cut the deficit to 88 runs before the declaration came, a situation that looked unlikely after the side was reduced to 144 for 5 on Sunday.
Fast bowler James Lewry then dealt twin blows, dismissing Wasim Jaffer (4) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (11) in a brilliant new-ball spell as India ended on 21 for 2 at close.
Dinesh Karthik (4) and Yuvraj Singh (2) were at the crease at stumps.
The visitors, who made 388 for 7 declared in the first innings, have an overall lead of 109 runs.
Hodd, 21 overnight, batted calmly until reaching his half-century before opening his shoulders after the tea break.
Sensing the declaration, he accelerated brilliantly in the final session. Having gone to tea at 66, he plundered his next 40 runs from only 48 balls with four fours.
In all, he faced 165 balls and had 10 hits to the fence.
Giving Hodd excellent support was Robert Martin-Jenkins, who scored a patient 42.
The pair added 125 runs during a defiant partnership for the sixth wicket that frustrated the Indians.
Yuvraj Singh, as a fill-in for the fifth bowler, suffered the most, conceding 42 runs from his seven overs without a wicket in the bargain.
His last over alone cost 14 runs.
The start of the day's play was delayed by four-and-a-half hours due to morning rain.
The Indians bowlers, however, failed to make further inroads into the Sussex line-up although there was enough dampness on the wicket and favourable conditions for the bowlers.
They conceded as many as 27 extras.
While Hodd did make the most of anything pitched short or wide, Martin-Jenkins was content to offer a straight bat.
India, however, should have had an early breakthrough had wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni not dropped Martin-Jenkins off S Sreesanth. The batsman was then on six.
A straight drive off Kumble gave Martin-Jenkins a bit more confidence while Hodd went from strength to strength bringing up his half century.
He then celebrated it well too by pulling Ranadeb Bose to the mid-wicket fence.
For second day on trot, Indian captain Rahul Dravid did not take the field.
Team manager Rocky Rufus said that the captain had a 'slight strain in his calf' and was resting.
Scorecard
Indians (1st innings):
D Karthik b Saqlain Mushtaq 76
W Jaffer c Hodd b Martin-Jenkins 12
G Gambhir c and b Yardy 81
R Dravid retired hurt 57
V V S Laxman c Montgomerie b Saqlain 95
Yuvraj Singh st Hodd b Rayner 31
M S Dhoni lbw Rayner 5
A Kumble c Montgomerie b Saqlain 2
S Sreesanth not out 7
Extras: (b-12, lb-6, w-3, nb-1) 22
Total: (for 7 wkts, 130.5 overs) 388
Fall of wickets: 1-37, 2-166, 3-206, 4-357, 5-367, 6-375, 7-388.
Bowling: James Lewry 21-6-53-0, Richards Kirtley 24-7-69-0, Robert Martin-Jenkins 21-5-48-1, Chris Liddle 15-1-48-0, Saqlain Mushtaq 29.5-4-71-3, Michael Yardy 9-1-33-1, Ollie Rayner 8-0-34-2, C Hopkinson 3-0-14-0.
Sussex (1st innings):
C Nash c Karthik b Bose 26
R Montgomerie c Karthik b Sreesanth 18
M Yardy c Laxman b Kumble 53
C Hopkinson lbw R P Singh 5
M Thornley b Kumble 2
A Hodd not out 106
R Martin-Jenkins st Dhoni b Kumble 42
O Rayner not out 19
Extras: (b-7, lb-7, w-9, nb-4) 27
Total: (for 6 wkts decl., 85.1 overs) 300
Fall of wicket: 1-30, 2-66, 3-75, 4-105, 5-144, 6-269.
Bowling: R P Singh 18-4-66-1, S Sreesanth 20.1-7-52-1, Ranadeb Bose 18-4-60-1, A Kumble 22-3-66-3, Yuvraj Singh 7-0-42-0.
Indians (2nd innings):
D Karthik batting 4
W Jaffer lbw Lewry 4
M S Dhoni c Nash b Lewry 11
Yuvraj Singh batting 2
Total: (for 2 wkts, 10 overs) 21
Fall of wickets: 1-5, 2-19.
Bowling: James Lewry 5-1-18-2, Richards Kirtley 5-4-3-0.