India were cruising late in the morning session on 3-430, only to be all out for 471, England taking the last seven wickets in an hour either side of lunch to give themselves hope of mounting a disappointing day one revival.
In reply, in more difficult, overcast conditions in Leeds, the highest-ranked test bowler in the world, Jasprit Bumrah, struck to remove England opener Zak Crawley for four before Ben Duckett and Pope steadied the ship to the delight of the home crowd.
Bumrah broke their 122-run second-wicket partnership when he bowled Duckett for 62, before Joe Root became the Indian dangerman's next victim moments after Pope had reached his second successive test ton.
He was 100 not out and the leading scorer as England slashed their deficit but Pope was far from perfect.
He survived a testing opening spell from Bumrah, narrowly avoiding an lbw decision on 34 and was dropped on 60.
But after riding his luck after trading blows with the seamers, he defiantly racked up his ninth test hundred and second against India, jumping for joy in celebration.
Harry Brook was very fortunate to survive in the final over of the day when he was caught at mid-wicket off a Bumrah no ball, but Saturday nonetheless belonged to the home side.
"We couldn't have done much more with the ball today," Duckett told the BBC. "They could have got 600 plus so to bowl them out for under 500 we are pleased.
"We are in a good spot and if we win the first session tomorrow we are really in this game."
Resuming on 3-359, India captain Shubman Gill quickly moved past his highest test score. He was supported by the flamboyant Rishabh Pant as India took control in the morning session.
Pant was sweeping and scooping to his heart's content, often ending up on his knees, fittingly moving to his seventh test ton with another six into the crowd, celebrated with a forward somersault.
Gill fell for 147 chasing another maximum, while Pant's thrilling innings came to a halt when he was trapped lbw by Josh Tongue for 134. The wicket-keeper's dismissal sparked an Indian collapse as the visitors lost their last five wickets for just 18 runs.
Bumrah then did his best to swing the test back in India's favour. After Crawley was caught in the slips, Duckett was dropped on 15 and survived a DRS review, both off the bowling of the Indian talisman.
Another fine sweep shot took Duckett to his 14th test half century just before tea, before Bumrah got his reward for keeping England under pressure.
Root was given out lbw on seven, a decision that was overturned following a DRS review, while Pope was dropped by opening day centurion Yashasvi Jaiswal when on 60.
The joy from Pope's ninth test century was short-lived as Bumrah continued to cause problems. Root edged another ferocious bolt through to the slips, before Brook's fortunate reprieve after his poor shot looped into the air.
Given where they started the day, England will take some comfort from how the proceedings ended.
"It was a bit of a collapse, we were expecting better than that," India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said afterwards.
"But it can happen. We should have got more runs. So nobody was really happy in the dressing room."
