India closed 52 runs behind with four first-innings wickets in hand against Australia on day two of the decisive fourth and final Test in Dharamsala.
The hosts reached 248 for six at the HPCA Stadium having bowled the tourists out for 300 on day one.
Cheteshwar Pujara frustrated the tourists with 57, while Lokesh Rahul's 60 helped India recover from losing Murali Vijay early.
Nathan Lyon took four for 67 with Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins claiming a wicket each to leave the final Test delicately poised.
Australia made 300 thanks to Steve Smith's 111 - his third hundred of the series and seventh against India - with the series locked at 1-1.
Hazlewood took the early wicket of Vijay when the opener was caught behind by Matthew Wade for 11 but India passed 100 before Rahul was dismissed for 60.
Hazlewood asked a lot of questions of India but Pujara and Rahul had steadied the ship with the former eventually falling to the off-spin of Lyon.
Lyon then picked up the quick wicket of Karun Nair for five to reduce India to 167 for four but Ajinkya Rahane's 46 and Ravichandran Ashwin's 30 edged them closer to drawing level with Australia.
Ashwin's dismissal left India on 221 for six but Australia failed to make another breakthrough as Wriddhiman Saha (10) and Ravindra Jadeja (16) held firm until stumps.
Source: PA
