KEY POINTS:
Captain Ricky Ponting posted his 41st test half-century as Australia gradually eroded India's huge first-innings advantage, reaching 237-2 at tea on the third day of the third test.
Ponting was unbeaten on 61 after Matthew Hayden and Simon Katich set up the tourists' reply with a 123-run opening stand.
Katich collected 64 and Hayden broke free from a form slump to post 83 from 154 balls as Australia chased India's 613-7 declared.
Australia needs to avoid defeat to stay alive in the series, and the 79-run partnership for the second wicket between Hayden and Ponting pushed the visitors closer to their first target of avoiding the follow-on, moving to within 177 runs of that mark.
Ponting, who had a couple of awkward moments against the spin of Amit Mishra, moved to his fifty with a glide for three off the legspinner from his 101st ball.
Hayden struck 13 fours, and a six off Mishra, before he was lbw to Virender Sehwag's offspin when Australia were at 202. Play was held up two balls into the second session when a swarm of bees caused the players and umpires to lie on the ground for a couple of minutes until the threat passed.
Katich showed plenty of sting in the first session when he recorded his tenth test half-century, but he lost his middle stump when going down the pitch to Mishra.
India had a setback before play when match referee Chris Broad told opener Gautam Gambhir he would be suspended for the fourth test in Nagpur because of his physical confrontation with Australian bowler Shane Watson on the first day.
In-form Gambhir, who scored 206 in India's first innings following a century in the second test, had a series of verbal clashes with Watson during the middle session on day one.
They had an argument in the 51st over of the first innings when Gambhir took his first run and then caught Watson in the chest with his left elbow as he ran the second.
"The decision to find Gambhir guilty of a level 2 offence is indicative of the fact that any degree of physical contact is unacceptable," Broad said.
"Had Gambhir been charged with and found guilty of a charge under 2.4 [for deliberate or inappropriate physical contact], due to his previous offence, I would have been obliged to impose a minimum penalty of a two-test match ban".
Broad took into account Gambhir's previous fine for running into Pakistan?s Shahid Afridi last year - for which he was fined 65 per cent of his match fee - and said India's opener should learn from the incident.
The left-hander has 24 hours in which to appeal.
- AP
