Australia has finished on 480 after Usman Khawaja's epic 180 and Cameron Green's debut Test century made India's bowlers toil for almost two days in the field.
The tourists made the most of the best batting pitch of the series, forcing India to bowl 168 overs and take a third new ball in the fourth Test in Ahmedabad.
Australia had 10 overs to bowl at the hosts before stumps but India comfortably survived to finish 0-36, to trail by 444.
India captain Rohit Sharma (17) and young opener Shubman Gill (18) will resume batting on Saturday with Australia desperate for early breakthroughs.
Khawaja made the third-best score by an Australian in India, finishing only behind Dean Jones (210 in 1986) and Matthew Hayden (203 in 2001).
The 36-year-old opener's 10-hour epic came from 422 balls — the most deliveries an Australian has ever faced in India in an innings.
Australia comfortably reached the best total of the series, from either side, thanks to Khawaja and Green's 208-run fifth-wicket stand.
It ended up being Australia's best score in India since they tallied 577 in Delhi in 2008.
Green (114) played a brilliant, chanceless knock full of stunning drives to break through for a century that had been more than two years in the making.
The 23-year-old has made at least one significant contribution with the bat in every series he has played in since debuting at Adelaide Oval against India in December 2020.
Khawaja and Green's partnership was the second-best by an Australian pair in a Test in India, only falling short of Allan Border and Kim Hughes' 222-run stand in 1979.
When Khawaja departed early in the final session on Friday, Australia could have easily crumbled.
But for the first time in the series, the visitors got valuable contributions from the tail.
Offspinners Nathan Lyon and Todd Murphy put on a crucial 70-run ninth-wicket stand to frustrate India's tired attack.
Lyon faced the most balls (96) in an innings during his career to finish on 34, while Murphy showed serious promise in the final Test of his debut tour.
Murphy had scored a combined five runs in the first three Tests of his career, but hit a first-class best of 41 in a huge confidence boost for the 22-year-old.
Australia's best total on tour before this innings was their 263 in Delhi as both teams have struggled to bat on three raging turners.
Star Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin bounced back from his second innings meltdown in Indore to take 6-91 in 48 overs, highlighted by the key scalp of Green.
As Australia batted better than they had all series, the tourists started the day beset with sadness after learning of the death of captain Pat Cummins' mother.
Cummins returned to Sydney to be around his family after the second Test loss in Delhi.
Look back on how all the action unfolded on day two in our live blog.
Key events
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Live updates
OK, I'm out
By Simon Smale
Another fascinating day draws to a close and we appear set for something of an intriguing day three on Saturday.
Can India knock these runs off at a decent rate? They scored at 3.6 runs per over in that brief 10-over spell, far in excess of Australia's 2.86 - although have had a new ball of course.
Can Australia start to make inroads into the lineup and put the Indians under pressure?
Regardless, it's all set to be a fascinating moving day in the fourth and final Test.
I look forward to having you join me then.
The only thing that can unsettle a batter on this pitch
By Simon Smale
Beware the replacement ball......and drink breaks
- Mike
The hero of Ahmedabad
By Simon Smale
Real hero - the guy who found the lost ball!
- Jeremy
Cam Green: Maiden Test century has not sunk in yet
By Simon Smale
Here's Cam Green, speaking to the host broadcaster.
He says scoring his maiden Test century has "probably not" sunk in yet.
"You never know when it's gunna happen but I'm incredibly grateful that it did," he says.
"To be out there with Ussie ... he helped me so much, he's an experienced head and has played beautifully all series.
"To bat with him was really special."
He says playing on under age tours in the subcontinent has helped him a lot, as well as a lot of practise.
He says there is a lot of information in the dressing room that is getting imparted to him as well.
He says the new ball was easier to hit.
"We thought the new ball obviously easier to score a few runs," he says.
"There wasn't too much to it though," he adds, in terms of there being a plan.
"It's a very good wicket," he says.
"You probably have to swallow your ego a bit, if you get hit for a couple of beautiful shots so be it.
"I think tomorrow you'll see maybe a holding roll for myself and let the spinners go to work."
Don't you know it
By Simon Smale
The LOTR nerd has come into the attack!
- Fly you fools!
Stumps: India 0-36, Rohit 17, Gill 18), trail by 444 runs
By Simon Smale
First job done for this pair, survive the night and they did just that.
Some nice stroke play from both men but there were moments, Lyon beat the outside edge a couple of times and will have confidence he can do so tomorrow as well.
It might be a tough day tomorrow though for Australia in the field. They'll simply have to field well and take the few chances that come their way.
Cameron Green and Usman Khawaja are clapped off the field by the Australian team for their exploits with the bat earlier today.
10th over - Lyon to bowl the last of the day
By Simon Smale
Gill defends back down the pitch. Two slips and a bat pad wait.
SIX! BANG GOES SHUBMAN GILL! Right over Lyon's head and that's the first six of the match. Lovely shot, a skip down the pitch and he's hammered that. Bit of a risk, but a statement made.
We've lost the ball - it's ripped a hole in the sightscreen... so we need to have a new, 10-over-old ball delivered to the middle.
That was disastrous for India in the last game, will it have a similar impact today?
A man has disappeared under the sheeting to find the ball... Meanwhile, the umpires are seeing if there is a ball that suits the one that was lost and appear to have found one. Now the man is stuck in the sightscreen and is delaying play.
NO WAIT! HE's FOUND IT! AND NOW HE'S FALLEN OVER! DRAMA IN AHMEDABAD LATE ON DAY TWO!
So after all that, I think we've got the original ball back.
Lyon bowls and Gill clips to square leg for a single.
Rohit defends off a big stride down the pitch, the ball rolling back to Carey behind the stumps.
Rohit now pushes into the covers for a single.
Last ball of the day.
Gill defends it back down to Lyon.
9th over - Kuhnemann will have another
By Simon Smale
The penultimate over of the day.
Rohit is waiting for something... but he's ready now.
But Australia is not, they need another helmet and it takes such a long time because to get to the dressing room players need to climb The Stairs of Cirith Ungol. Hopefully Shelob isn't at the top, but knowing most cricketer's kit bags at the end of a tour...
Rohit defends the start of the over.
Much encouragement from around the stumps (Marnus) as Rohit pushes into the off side for a single to point.
Solid defence from Gill.
He eventually gets one away to mid on as Marnus, playing at a straight silly point, groans exaggeratedly.
Rohit plays a forward defence that pops up in front of Marnus and he slaps the ball back to Carey with his open palm to end the over.
8th over - More from Nathan Lyon
By Simon Smale
Three more overs, including this one, so Lyon will have two to bowl tonight.
Lyon has Rohit defending forward to the first couple of deliveries.
Rohit fends off the outside edge as he hunches forward.
Just a little walk down the pitch and Rohit clips the ball to wide mid on for a single.
Gill defends on the front foot.
Gill fends into the off side to end the over, just a single from it.
Watchful to the premier finger spinner in Australia, these two have been.
7th over - Matthew Kuhnemann comes into the attack
By Simon Smale
Spin at both ends, it's a joy to behold.
The seamers were not getting it done so this is a good move I think.
One slip and a bat pad, Rohit flicks the ball into that bat pad and the ball is fielded at midwicket.
He drives to mid off now and takes on the arm of the fielder and challenges him to throw, but there is no shy at the stumps. Good running.
Groans from around the bat as the ball skids on low and Gill has to get the bat down sharpish.
Nice flight, a bit of turn towards off, more straightening really as Gill defends.
Gill clips to mid on, "NO, NO, NO, NO" is the call. No run taken.
Same again as Kuhnemann floats the ball full.
6th over - Here comes the GOAT
By Simon Smale
BEATEN! Around the wicket from Lyon and he prods at the ball that passes by the outside edge.
FOUR! Uppish down to third man, there was a call of catch it and it was not far away from the fielder really - not entirely in control I don't think.
Rohit defends into the leg side.
Be interesting to see if Lyon tosses it up and gets some turn here.
He does toss it up and there may be a bit of zip off the pitch, catching the outside edge and Smith does superbly to dive and stop it at first slip.
Rohit defends the next off the front foot.
Bat pad is in place and Rohit plays it past him for a single to square leg.
5th over - Mitch Starc continues
By Simon Smale
Starc has six men in the off side, including two slips and a wide gully.
Starc comes steaming in at 146kph and Rohit defends.
There is no swing any more - these balls becoming less effective even earlier than the Kookaburra's, which seems incredible really.
Rohit defends again.
Nice shot, lovely sound off the bat as Starc strays wide and the ball flies towards the point boundary for just a single. The commentators enjoyed that one on the host broadcaster - arguably a bit too much.
Gill defends the first he faces.
Gill plays with an angled bat off his off stump.
Starc sends a ball across Gills face and he wanted to flash at it but decided against it at the last minute. Good move, to be honest.
4th over - Cam Green will have another
By Simon Smale
Gill cuts and will get two runs for that out to cover point. Lovely hands, Gill has. His coordination is sublime.
He defends the next back to Green in his follow though.
Good ball, right on that off stump line and Green has Gill defending.
Gill pushes through the covers and will get two as Travis Head races after it and hauls it in before it reaches the rope.
Gill defends with a straight bat on off stump.
Again, nice solid defensive stroke as Green finds his line and length.
3rd over - Mitch Starc continues
By Simon Smale
You wouldn't expect him to have too many overs if he's not beating the outside edge to be honest. The spinners will want a go with the harder ball.
Rohit defends solidly.
Solid defence as Starc on the money from over the wicket, targeting the off stump.
Starc raps Rohit on the pads, 144kph off the inside edge will leave a bruise as it cannons into the thigh.
Down the leg side, Rohit had a tickle but missed it.
There is so much more bounce and carry than India's seamers were able to extract. Is the pitch drying out in this baking Ahmedabad sun? You'd think so. Which means cracks are incoming in the next day or two.
Every ball has been at 144 or 145 this over, as Rohit defends again.
Very good bowling, excellent defensive batting, a maiden over for Starc.
2nd over - Cameron Green, fresh off a maiden Test tonne
By Simon Smale
Two slips and a gully in place, only two men on the boundary for Green.
Leg side, Rohit dabs to one of those boundary riders, Mitch Starc at deep backward square leg for a single.
FOUR! Gill cuts with a shortened snap of the bat, just a little punch with the hands close in to the chest and that's flown to the boundary at cover for four.
Now off his pads for a single to deep backward square leg.
Rohit now cuts expansively with a swish of his bat for a single to backward point.
INSIDE EDGE! Green has Gill pridding too far away from his body and edging onto his own front pad. Bit of seam movement into the right hander.
Too leg side but no run there as mid on scampers round and slides to stop the ball going too far.
1st over - Here comes Mitch Starc
By Simon Smale
BIG APPEAL! Rohit is hit on the pad and it was going down leg for me. Smith is not going to review this. Oh - a long way down leg - good job they didn't review that.
Still, there was movement out of the hand there and there will be for a handful of overs. India didn't use it - Australia needs to.
Gill gets off the mark off his pads for a single.
FOUR! Only two slips in place as Starc arrows in on the base of the stumps and Rohit clips the inswinging ball off his pads through midwicket.
A very defensive field set by Steve Smith - he has lots of runs to play with, I'm surprised there's not another close catcher while the ball is new.
Starc sends the ball across the face of Rohit which he leaves alone.
He defends the next, coming up into the ribs of Rohit with some decent bounce that Starc is able to extract bowling in excess of 145kph.
Rohit drops and runs to short cover and he's judged that really well - a good single to end the over.
It wagged!
By Simon Smale
This is beautiful. I take back anything I ever said about the tail.
- Josh
Australia should be happy?
By Simon Smale
Pretty good total - and a pretty emphatic comeback for the Australian tail, after some pretty naff batting. Murphy and Lyon did a pretty decent rearguard action, that I'm pretty sure broke the spirit of Shami. Did you see how he looked after Lyon lofted one over his head? He looked like someone had sucked his soul from his body.
- Steven
India are tired.
And dispirited.
These 10 overs will be difficult for the hosts.
Australia all out for 480
By Simon Smale
Well, I think Australia would have taken that at the start of the day's play yesterday.
There was never any sign of a declaration and I like that, make India work hard for their wickets and bowl Australia out.
The pitch did start to take some turn, that's a positive sign, because Australia's trio of tweakers have had a long look at that pitch (well, two of them, anyway) and will be hoping to extract plenty.
India will have 10 overs at the Indians tonight.
If they use the new ball well, they could take a couple of wickets early - India just didn't bowl well in that first innings and it cost them.
EDGED! TAKEN OFF THE KEEPERS PADS BY KOHLI AT SLIP!
By Simon Smale
Lyon came forward, edged the ball onto the thigh of Bharat and it loops up to Kohli, who takes the catch.
Lyon's 96-ball stand ends with 34 runs to his name.
Ashwin bowled 47.2 overs for 6-91, a superb effort.
