England fast bowler Stuart Broad took six wickets as India were skittled out for 152 at tea on the opening day of the fourth test on Thursday.
India captain MS Dhoni made a defiant 71 to help his side recover from a disastrous start when they slumped to eight for four after winning the toss.
But Broad and James Anderson had put England in control of the match inside two sessions, with the series level at 1-1.
Resuming in the afternoon session on 63 for five, India soon lost Ravindra Jadeja for a duck, lbw to Anderson.
Dhoni received solid support from Ravichandran Ashwin, however, and the pair added 66 runs in quick time. Ashwin had made 40 when he hooked a short ball from Broad and was well caught by Sam Robson running in from deep square leg.
Dhoni reached fifty with his 11th four but Broad struck again, bowling Bhuvneshwar Kumar who was the fifth Indian batsman to make a duck.
Chancing his arm, Dhoni hit four more boundaries before heaving Broad straight to Chris Jordan at backward square leg to give the tall fast bowler his fifth wicket.
He then bowled Pankaj Singh for another duck to complete superb figures of six for 25.
Anderson and Broad had taken full advantage of favourable conditions in the morning, obtaining prodigious swing to send back Gautam Gambhir, Murali Vijay, Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara in quick succession.
It was a fine performance on his home Old Trafford ground by Anderson, who was cleared to play after being found not guilty of breaching the International Cricket Council's code of conduct in an incident with Jadeja during the first test.
Gambhir, recalled to the side, was first to go for four when he got a leading edge to a full delivery from Broad and the ball flew straight to Joe Root at gully.
Vijay, on nought, prodded at a perfect outswinger from Anderson and Alastair Cook took a straightforward opportunity at first slip.
Two balls later the out-of-form Kohli fell in identical fashion for a duck and Pujara drove loosely at a full ball from Broad, Jordan clutching a sharp catch at third slip to leave India in tatters at eight for four.
Dhoni and Ajinkya Rahane stopped the rot with a fighting fifth-wicket partnership of 54 as conditions for batting improved.
But Rahane was out for 24 just before the interval when he drove at a full wide ball from Jordan and Ian Bell took a regulation catch at second slip.
The start of the match was delayed by half an hour due to overnight rain.
India made three changes from the side which lost the third test in Southampton, bringing in Gambhir, seamer Varun Aaron and spinner Ashwin. England named an unchanged team.
