The fourth Test could be heading towards a draw after exciting opener Shubman Gill blasted a superb century to push India to 3-289 at stumps on day three against Australia.
After starting the day on 0-36, India had few problems handling the best batting pitch of the series and went about chipping away at Australia's first-innings total of 480 in Ahmedabad.
Gill's 128, a career-best score and his second Test ton — and first in India, allowed the hosts to settle in and bat in good conditions to trail Australia by 191 runs.
In another boost for the fans at the colossal Narendra Modi Stadium, Indian icon Virat Kohli made a welcome return to form to end a 15-innings drought without a Test half-century.
Kohli (59 not out) will resume batting with all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja (16 not out) on day four and the former India captain will be desperate to score his first Test century since making 136 against Bangladesh back in 2019.
Gill, one of the most talented batters India has produced in recent times, translated his brilliant white-ball form into the Test arena.
Despite smashing three ODI tons this year, the 23-year-old was left out of the first two Tests against Australia as India selectors opted to retain KL Rahul as captain Rohit Sharma's opening partner.
Gill was recalled for the third Test in Indore but struggled on a raging turner as the match ended in less than three days.
It was a tough, gruelling day three in the field for Australia in Ahmedabad after the tourists batted for almost two days to make their 480, led by Usman Khawaja's marathon 180 and Cameron Green's maiden Test century.
India captain Rohit Sharma (35) was the only wicket to fall in the morning session after he scooped a drive straight to Marnus Labuschagne at short cover off left-arm spinner Matt Kuhnemann's bowling.
Despite claiming the big wicket of Sharma, Kuhnemann (1-43) was used sparingly and has only bowled 13 overs in the innings.
Australia struck a blow late in the second session, with young spinner Todd Murphy (1-18) trapping resilient number three Cheteshwar Pujara in front for 42.
Nathan Lyon (1-75) claimed the key wicket of Gill, the Indian hero out LBW.
Australia's only frontline quick, Mitchell Starc, endured a tough day and finished with 0-74 from 17 overs.
Murphy, who took seven wickets on debut in Nagpur last month, was not brought on by acting captain Steve Smith until the 32nd over.
The final Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series is poised to go the full five days on a pitch more suited to batting.
If Australia could pull off a win in Ahmedabad, it would level the series 2-2 in what would be a significant achievement in notoriously tough Indian conditions.
India is desperate to win the series 3-1 and secure its place in the World Test Championship final at The Oval in London in June, against Australia.
AAP/ABC
Look back at how the action unfolded in our blog.
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Thanks for being with us today
By Simon Smale
It was another attritional day of play but there is still a long way to go in this Test match.
India will be happy with where they are sitting right now, but they are still 191 runs behind.
If Australia bowls well and takes even a small first innings lead, then perhaps a bold declaration will set up an interesting day five.
We've got to get to day four first though and I'll be back tomorrow to bring you all the action from Sunday's play.
Thanks for being with me, catch you tomorrow.
You are most kind
By Simon Smale
Thanks again Simon - slow days like this would have driven mere mortal bloggers to distraction.
- Mike
Shubman Gill: 'We will be looking to win the match'
By Simon Smale
Here is India's centurion, Shubman Gill, who scored his first Test hundred in India.
"It feels great to get a hundred in India, always a special feeling and I will be starting my IPL campaign here soon, so I would say good memories and a good start," he says.
"The pitch was pretty good to bat on.
"Everything that was turning was off the rough area.
"It was important for us to take the singles when they were available.
"They were bowling with a bit of an in and out field and were not attacking much so it was important to remain patient."
The game does appear to be drifting towards a draw.
However, Gill is certain India are looking to win the match.
"If we bat well [tomorrow] and get a good score then anything can happen on day five," he says.
"We will be looking to win the match."
Stumps: India 3-289 (Kohli 59, Jadeja 16)
By Simon Smale
Tough day for Australia.
A long, hot day in the field and it has not been profitable in terms of wickets.
It will be important not to get dispirited by how easy India made it look for long periods, even if runs were hard to come by.
99th over - Lyon to bowl what will be the last
By Simon Smale
Kohli flicks to mid wicket with the bottom hand - no run.
Turn from outside off, Kohli fends down the pitch.
Expansive drive to long on for a single now.
Jadeja gets forward and defends solidly.
Some nice shape and turn from around the wicket by Lyon, but Jadeja defends off his middle stump.
And he defends the last.
98th over - Kuhnemann continues
By Simon Smale
Kohli, stepping back in his crease, flicks into the leg side and he takes a single.
Jadeja pushes into the on side and takes a single to cover point - a very easy single - a few too many of those from his tired Australian team at the moment.
Kohli pushes to long off for another easy single.
Jadeja guides that to third man for another single.
Australia, and Kuhnemann doesn't look like taking a wicket here. At all.
A second slip comes in and Jadeja defends back down the pitch to the last two balls.
97th over - Nathan Lyon comes back into the attack
By Simon Smale
There's only 9 minutes remaining and still four overs to be bowled - which won't happen, but it's more likely to if we have spin at both ends.
Kohli clips the ball backward of square on the leg side and the close fielders look disappointed. There was a flick onto the pad, that's why - it could have popped up.
Kohli flicks to Marnus at mid wicket. No run.
Now he flicks the ball to backward point for a single.
Jadeja, with a hat on again, fends to backward point for no run.
He defends the last.
96th over - Matthew Kuhnemann has the new ball at the other end
By Simon Smale
He's not been used much, only Cam Green (10) has bowled fewer than his 11 overs.
Kohli gets off strike with a push to long off.
Over the wicket to Jadeja is Kuhnemann.
SIX! Jadeja gets to the pitch of the ball and lofts that over deep long on. Nice stroke.
Kuhnemann has Jadeja driving again and he gets an inside edge onto his foot.
He pushes into the long on region for an easy single now.
Kohli takes the strike with a single to wide mid on.
95th over - Mitch Starc with the second new ball
By Simon Smale
Two slips and a gully, some swing away for Starc over the wicket to Jadeja, who is wearing a helmet now.
Another outswinger at 131kph - Jadejda fends it away.
Starc is 0-73 from 16 overs, this being his 17th.
It's been hard toil.
Starc sends that down the leg side and Carey does well to dive and take the ball.
Jadeja will get a single with a square push to the deep point boundary.
Starc, still over the wicket, sends a ball across the face of Kohli towards those two slips.
Kohli clips the last fine for another single - oh it's a leg bye so just thigh pad.
FIRE THE NEW BALL CANNON!
By Simon Smale
We have the second new ball!
94th over - Murphy carries on
By Simon Smale
Lyon does the chasing at backward square leg as Kohli clips away for a couple more.
Kohli defends out the rest of the over.
Bit hot in Ahmedabad
By Simon Smale
It kinda looks like there is a fire outside the ground somewhere...
50 for Virat Kohli
By Simon Smale
That two brings up Kohli's 50 off 107 balls.
Or was Virat one run short there? Did he slide his bat in? Yes, apparently. Just. Very close though...
It's his first half tonne since the first innings of the Cape Town Test against South Africa over a year ago - January 2022.
That's 15 Test innings ago. A real drought.
Lyon comes over the wicket and Kohli clips off his pads to take a single off the final ball.
93rd over - Lyon continues, with the old ball
By Simon Smale
Eight overs remain in the day's play.
I can understand not taking the new ball and accelerating this sedate run scoring pace - Australia can't afford to let India get a run on. It might, by delaying, play in the mind of the Indian batters, who might want the new harder ball to score with and that might lead to a loss of concentration when do eventually take it.
Kohli defends the first.
He sweeps but misses out, firing the ball into the leg slip.
Two runs to Kohli to square leg.
92nd over - Murphy is going to have another over
By Simon Smale
Kuhnemann has not been used much, 11 overs in total...
Kohli dabs off his pads to deep square leg for a single, he moves to 46 off his 100th ball.
Jadeja gets one off his pads too, no run taken to backward square leg.
That skids on too and Jadeja has to jam the bat down on it. It actually went through his pads, which shows you how late he got the bat down.
Jadeja pushes into the off side for a sharp single.
Kohli defends and then swipes across the line to deep wide long on for a single.
91st over - Nathan Lyon
By Simon Smale
Kohli turns the ball off his pads, there is a leg slip so that's the line Lyon is looking for.
Kohli again took off like he wanted two but there was only ever going to be a single there.
Starc is warming up.
BEATEN! Jadeja is beaten outside off and the umpire is going to have a review for the stumping - which means we check everything.
No bat on the ball as it passes, the bat hit the pad which might be the noise Steve Smith heard.
The foot is still down too. Not out. Good ball though.
Lyon gets that one to skid on a bit and Jadeja has to leap back on the back foot and jam the bat down to keep it out.
Jadeja ends with a little dab to bat pad. He's on 4 from 34 balls.
90th over - Murphy continues
By Simon Smale
Singles off the first two balls as Kohli and Jadeja rotate the strike.
Kohli looks pretty good against Murphy so far. Kohli has been out to him three times in the last three Tests and seven times in total against the GOAT.
Kohli takes another single to midwicket - Kohli actually took off quickly and wanted two, but Jadeja was only every keen for one.
Jadeja has taken his gloves off when he's at the non-strikers end as it's so hot.
There's a silly point in Jadeja's face and he plays the ball gently to him to end the over.
When does the new ball have to be taken?
By Simon Smale
Can a team be forced to take the new ball or is there a limit on how long you can bowl with a ball ?
- Eric
I actually don't know the answer to that...
I don't think they actually have to - after a quick glance at the MCC laws.
89th over - Nathan Lyon comes in
By Simon Smale
Into his 33rd over of the innings.
Bat pad and a catching short mid on. No slip.
Kohli flicks the ball to mid on for no run, lots of bottom hand, lots of wrist in that shot.
Kohli takes a single off the last ball of the over.
88th over - Murphy comes in again
By Simon Smale
One slip and a bat pad. Still no sign of the second new ball.
Murphy misfields off his own bowling and lets the ball through his legs, Jadeja wants a single but Khawaja is right there, possibly unsighted by Jadeja, he fumbles it, but there's no run anyway as Kohli sends Jadeja back.
Another maiden for Murphy, his sixth.
