A batting master class from Sachin Tendulkar and a century to Gautam Gambhir took India to the verge of making New Zealand bat again on the fourth day of the second Test on Sunday.

India closed the penultimate day at 252-2, requiring a further 62 runs before they can start setting New Zealand a target.

Gambhir on 102 and Tendulkar not out 58 were firmly entrenched with their unbroken third-wicket stand of 89, and the New Zealand bowlers were helpless to threaten on the benign wicket.

While his primary responsibility was to save the game for India, Tendulkar was not prepared to divert from his innate instinct to attack as he hooked, cut, and drove off the front and back foot with exquisite timing.

When he entered the arena with India 163-2 and Gambhir on 75, Tendulkar wasted no time taking command.

He brought up his 52nd Test half-century off 89 balls in the same Daniel Vettori over in which Gambhir completed his 100 in a more sedate 265 deliveries.

Tendulkar had one heart-stopping moment when he mistimed an attempt to cut Iain O'Brien and the ball dropped in front of him, before spinning back towards the stumps.

But the "little master" was quick enough to see the danger and push the ball away. He then regained his composure to pull O'Brien's next delivery for six.

As Tendulkar pushed the pace, Gambhir brought up his fifth Test century playing conservatively through more than three sessions at the crease where his role is to occupy the middle as long as possible.

With conditions heavily in favour of the batsmen, it was a long day in the field for New Zealand as they picked up only one wicket, Rahul Dravid.

New Zealand knew it would probably take a mistake by the batsmen or umpire to break the Dravid-Gambhir partnership and in the end it was umpire Ian Gould who sent a livid Dravid off, ruling a bat-pad catch by Jamie How at short leg off Vettori.

Dravid, who top-scored for India with 83 in the first innings, shook his head and hit the ground with his bat as he left, while television replays showed the ball made no contact with the bat.

He had spent more than four hours in a valuable second wicket stand with Gambhir which produced 133 runs at a period when time in the middle to at least achieve a draw was more valuable than runs.

Along the way the 26-year-old posted his 56th Test half-century and belted Jeetan Patel over the rope at long-on for his first Test six in 24 matches dating back to Bangladesh in May 2007.

Patel, who took Virender Sehwag's wicket at the start of the innings, twice had Gambhir at the mercy of umpire Evan Watkin, with an appeal for a run out and another caught at short leg, and he survived both occasions.

Gambhir also offered Patel a difficult caught and bowled chance but the bowler was unable to move to his right fast enough to seize the opportunity.

India were forced to follow on after their first innings disintegrated to be all out for 305 on the most accommodating wicket imaginable and where New Zealand compiled 619-9 batting first.

However, the longer Tendulkar and Gambhir stayed at the crease the prospect of a win for New Zealand was fading into the likelihood of a draw.

But the fact New Zealand were able to turn their fortunes around immediately after being thrashed by 10 wickets inside four days in the first Test was an achievement in itself.

It also meant the three-Test series would go down to the wire in the final Test starting in Wellington on Friday.

AFP

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