Cheteshwar Pujara and Sachin Tendulkar put on 64 for the unfinished third-wicket stand to boost India’s hopes of winning the second and final Test against New Zealand in Bangalore on Monday.
The hosts, needing 261 to win, were 147-2 in their second innings at tea, which was taken early due to rain on the penultimate day. Pujara was unbeaten on 41 and Tendulkar on 23 not out.
Pujara and Tendulkar built on an explosive 77-run stand for the opening wicket between free-scoring Virender Sehwag (38) and Gautam Gambhir (34) to put their team in a strong position.
India, who won the opening Test by an innings and 115 runs in Hyderabad, now need 114 runs more with eight wickets in hand to sweep the two-match series.
New Zealand struggled for success after they had removed the Indian openers in the space of six runs in the morning session.
Pujara, who scored a solid 159 in the first Test, has so far cracked six fours in his 77-ball knock while Tendulkar’s 30-ball innings contained four boundaries.
Pujara was on 37 when he survived a stumping chance off off-spinner Jeetan Patel as wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum failed to collect the ball.
McCullum kept wicket in place of Kruger van Wyk, who was injured after being struck on the arm by a delivery from paceman Umesh Yadav while batting on Sunday.
New Zealand skipper Ross Taylor pressed Patel into the attack in the 12th over after pacemen Trent Boult, Tim Southee and Doug Bracewell had failed to provide the breakthrough in overcast conditions.
Sehwag lofted Patel over long-off, the first six of the innings, and then cut him for a four before falling in the same over. He stepped out to try another big shot, but missed the line and was bowled.
He smashed one six and seven fours in his brisk 33-ball knock.
Gambhir went for his shots early in the innings, hitting Boult and Bracewell each for two successive fours before falling to a loose shot.
He was caught by Taylor at first slip off Boult after hitting seven fours in his 58-ball knock.
New Zealand were earlier bowled out for 248 in their second innings, adding 16 runs to their overnight total of 232-9.
Patel (22), the last man out, looked unhappy with the decision when given caught behind off left-arm paceman Zaheer Khan, as the TV replays suggested he had missed the ball.
Off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin finished with 5-69, his third five-wicket haul in four innings against New Zealand, while fast bowler Umesh Yadav and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha each bagged two wickets.
