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The West Indies came back well in the final session to dismiss India for just 201 in their first innings on the first day of the second Test at the bouncy Kensington Oval in Barbados on Tuesday.
However, India fought back well to reduce the hosts to 30 for three by close of play.
Having dominated the opening session and letting the visitors come back in the second, the home team ensured India's fightback was curtailed at the right time. The Indian innings lasted just 68 overs.
VVS Laxman top-scored for India with a magnificent 85, his final scoring shot of the innings helping him attain the 8,000 runs mark in Test cricket. The 36-year-old reached the landmark in his 122nd Test.
Laxman thereby became the fourth Indian -- after Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sunil Gavaskar -- and 22nd batsmen in the world to reach the milestone.
Ravi Rampaul, Fidel Edwards and Devendra Bishoo shared the spoils for the West Indies with three wickets apiece.
Earlier, India's top-order struggled against a fiery West Indies pace attack as the visitors were reduced to 44 for four at lunch.
The West Indies pacers exploited the conditions well and took two cheap India wickets early on to reduce India to eight for two after skipper Darren Sammy won the toss and elected to field.
The admirable Ravi Rampaul wreaked havoc, picking three wickets in his two spells for figures of 8-5-4-3 at the break.
Opener Murali Vijay (11) and Laxman weathered the storm after the early slump, adding 30 runs for the third wicket before the former was dismissed by Rampaul.
A lot was expected from Virat Kohli (0), but the Delhi batsman lasted just two balls, sent back packing by Rampaul, as India slumped further to 38-4.
Runs were hard to come by for the visitors on a bouncy pitch against an occasionally hostile but always disciplined West Indian attack.
Opener Abhinav Mukund could do little better than lob a catch off the handle of his bat against Rampaul in the second over of the morning.
It's the eighth straight innings that Rampaul has got an opener's scalp in his first spell this season, discounting the two straightforward chances put down, including the costly miss of Rahul Dravid by skipper Darren Sammy in the first Test.
India came back strong in the second session, where 103 runs came in without a wicket.
In the process, Laxman reached his 50th Test half century (batting on 69) and Suresh Raina got his third (batting on 52).
At tea, the visitors had made 147 for four.
The home team though came back strong in the day's final session. Devendra Bishoo struck in the third over after resumption, having Raina caught by Adrian Barath at forward short leg.
Raina's dismissal was a tad contentious and the batsman wasn't very happy with umpire Asad Rauf's decision.
Nonetheless, Raina put together 117 runs for the fifth wicket with Laxman in a partnership that laid the foundation of the Indian innings and gave their scorecard a semblance of respectability.
Three overs later, Fidel Edwards struck, having captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (2) caught by Shivnarine Chanderpaul at mid-on. The umpires had a doubt if the bowler had overstepped, but replays suggested otherwise and the decision stood.
Harbhajan Singh didn't survive long, clueless about a short one from Edwards, and spooning a catch to Barath at forward short leg.
Soon after, Laxman reached the 8,000 Test runs milestone with a single off Edwards, the run also helping him complete 1,000 Test runs in the Caribbean.
However, in the next over Bishoo had him caught by Barath at backward point. Laxman's 146-ball knock was inclusive of a dozen hits to the fence.
Edwards returned to pick his third wicket in the next over, rattling Abhimanyu Mithun's stumps even before he could open his account.
Praveen Kumar (12) hit a couple of boundaries to ensure India got past the 200-run mark before Bishoo had him stumped.
The Indian bowlers got into the act quickly. Ishant Sharma was the first to strike, having Adrian Barath (3) caught by Kohli at gully in the fourth over.
Praveen had Lendl Simmons (2) caught behind in the next over to increase the pressure. And Abhimanyu Mithun had Darren Bravo (9) caught behind with the penultimate ball of the day to ensure honours were even at the end of the opening day.
At stumps on day one, Ramnaresh Sarwan was unbeaten on 10 and giving him company was nightwatchman Devendra Bishoo, who was yet to open his account.
The West Indies have a tough task ahead of them on day two.