The rain that descended upon The Oval at lunchtime did everyone a favour. The duel between Indian bowlers and English batsmen had long since lost most of its lustre.

After a delay of two and a half hours, Andrew Strauss decided to declare on 591 for six – another 700 plus score was well within England's compass – and so we had a much better contest. The sun came out and so did the India batsmen, though some need not have applied much suncream.

Soon we were reminded of the gulf between the bowling capacities of the two sides. Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad and Tim Bresnan are currently streets ahead of their counterparts. So is Graeme Swann. The Indians, for all their frailties, have some batsmen, yet with 33 overs to bowl, England once again asserted their authority. At the close India were 103-5. Despite the loss of so much time, England are hot favourites to win from here.

We have been starved of a sighting of the late arrival at England's summer ball. Virender Sehwag, you may need reminding, did play in the Edgbaston Test, in which he acquired a king pair. So there was much curiosity at Saturday's innings.

Sehwag was all discretion for the first two balls delivered by Anderson, which were allowed to pass harmlessly by outside off-stump. The next two were silkily struck through the covers for boundaries. But the last one caught him on the crease and umpire Simon Taufel did not hesitate long before raising his finger. So Sehwag has faced eight balls in this series and has been dismissed three times for eight runs.

Rahul Dravid has faced rather more deliveries and he found himself opening the batting – officially, this time – since Gautam Gambhir had been off the field for so long. Upon Sehwag's dismissal, VVS Laxman came in at three.

The procedure in these circumstances in most sides is for every batsman to move up one place in the order. But that is obviously not the case in the Indian team. Clearly, Sachin Tendulkar bats at four come what may, because he always bats at four. Perhaps it is in his contract.

No matter. Tendulkar would be at the crease before long. Laxman is not so technically suited to batting at three in English conditions and soon Broad found his outside edge with another fine, irresistible delivery. Enter Tendulkar to his seventh standing ovation of the summer. England began with their usual tactics against him, which is to bowl a full length in pursuit of an outside edge. His 10th delivery from Broad was shorter; Tendulkar ducked and was hit on the helmet. More echoes of mortality even though he hit the next ball to mid-on for four to open his account.

Tendulkar could not settle. On 14 he offered Bresnan a technical caught and bowled chance though the ball was travelling at a pace from the middle of his bat. Soon he was hit again by a shortish ball from the Yorkshireman.

Yet for the first time in the series it was a spinner who undermined him.

This pitch is offering turn, which was barely discernible when the Indian spinners were in action. Tendulkar, sensing this, was keen to disrupt Swann's rhythm. He kept sweeping the ball from outside off-stump. Swann reinforced his leg-side field. Even so, Tendulkar continued sweeping – to no avail. The ball clipped his glove and ballooned over the keeper's head for Anderson to take the catch, running back from slip. Another minor standing ovation.

All the while, Dravid was confirming Kevin Pietersen's observation after the last Test: that he is the best technician among the Indian batsmen in English conditions. Dravid was both watchful and positive against the pacemen. He played late, turning his wrists at the last moment to flick the ball through the leg-side, the solitary Indian cricketer to keep his reputation intact in this series.

Nor was Dravid as greatly troubled by Swann, who sensed – and snatched – a rare opportunity for some wickets in this series. Dravid favoured the back foot against the off-spinner, refusing to be drawn unless the ball was almost of half-volley length. Hawk-eyed he adjusted late so that it was difficult for Swann to find that "good length" against him. It was a mini-masterclass. Suresh Raina had more problems and after much agonising by Steve Davis, the third umpire, was given stumped to a sharp-spinning delivery. Nightwatchman Ishant Sharma, caught at bat/pad, was also out of his depth. As usual, India's hopes of avoiding a fourth humiliation rest with Dravid.

All of this was on a higher plane than the morning session. Sreesanth may have been elated to take two wickets so that his figures had a hint of respectability – unlike those of Amit Mishra (38-3-170-0), who may be playing his last Test match for a while.

Anderson, to general relief, was caught at second slip, while Eoin Morgan suffered the indignity of failing against this Indian attack; he edged his 10th ball to the keeper. In the meantime, Ian Bell cruised along to his first double-century in Test cricket. But for rain, a triple seemed on the cards. In fact it was Raina who caused his downfall. Bell tried to slog-sweep but to general consternation missed the ball and was lbw.

Ravi Bopara, arriving at the crease in another crisis situation – 487 for five – managed 44 untroubled, forgettable runs up until lunch as the massacre continued. But the massacre was far more interesting after the declaration.