India made a sensational return to the longest format after eight years away as wickets tumbled throughout and England Women slumped to their lowest ever total against the tourists on day one of the Kia Women’s Test at Wormsley.
But Charlotte Edwards’ team hit back from 92 all out - an innings that featured a women’s Test record of seven lbw decisions - by reducing India to 87 for six to set up a fascinating contest.
Jenny Gunn returned Test-best figures of 4-13 to put a spring in England’s step as they bounced back at the end of a day when bowlers made hay throughout.
Nagarajan Niranjana, the 25-year-old Chennai born opening bowler, could not have dreamed of making a better start to her career at the highest level, scything through England’s top-order after the home team were put in by Mithali Raj.
At the end of the morning session she had four wickets for eleven runs after a superb unchanged spell of 10 overs.
Among her victims were last year’s Ashes heroine Heather Knight and captain Edwards, who played around their pads only to be trapped infront by the swing.
Lauren Winfield was caught behind to end almost an hour’s resistance on her debut before Tammy Beaumont left a straight one and England were in deep trouble going in to lunch at 49 for five.
The home team's woes continued in the afternoon and after the experienced Jhulan Goswami broke the dogged sixth-wicket partnership between Sarah Taylor and Nat Sciver - pinning the former lbw for England's top score of 30 - Shubhlakshmi Sharma chipped in with her medium-pace.
On a hat-trick after claiming the wickets of Sciver and Anya Shrubsole, Sharma was denied by debutant Sonia Odedra but it was only a matter of time before India finished off the tail.
While England’s batsmen departed at regular intervals, all eyes were on India’s reply to establish just how tricky the wicket was.
The openers made comfortable progress reaching, 40 without loss before Gunn and wicketkeeper Sarah Taylor combined to dismiss them both and spark a mini-collapse.
In the blink of an eye, India were soon in trouble and, after Gunn claimed the prized scalp of Raj playing around her front pad, they were left needing a rearguard action to rescue them.
A gritty unbroken seventh-wicket stand of 23 between the opening bowlers Niranjana and Goswami saw the visitors through to the close and within sight of taking a first-innings lead.
Afterwards, Gunn reflected on a “bizarre” day and said: "It was definitely a bowlers’ day. They bowled straight and in good areas and to be honest I think our batsmen could have played straighter. I bowled it fuller because I don’t have the pace to peg them back.
"I don’t feel there’s pressure on England because we’re in a professional era because we’ve always been very professional - it’s just that there’s more money about.
“We never underestimate any team and India have several world-class players. It’s always going to be a tough challenge playing them."