Harbhajan Singh again proved a thorn in Australia's side as he launched India's fightback with a splendid half-century on Day 3 of the first Test at the M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore on Saturday.
The off-spinner played an entertaining innings of 54 off 110 deliveries, which included five boundaries, to help India amass 313 for 8 in 101 overs by the end of the day.
He added 80 useful runs for the eighth wicket with Zaheer Khan, who also showed great determination to remain unbeaten on a dogged 35 at stumps.
The left-armer had also made major contribution with the ball on the second day, claiming five wickets for 91 runs, as Australia were restricted to 430.
Mitchell Johnson took 4 for 77, including a three-wicket burst in the morning session that left the hosts in early trouble, before Rahul Dravid's stiff resistance with a solid 51, followed by Sourav Ganguly's brave 47, helped India avoid the follow-on.
Morning session: (65 runs, 4 wickets, 23.5 overs)
Lee got an important and early breakthrough when he trapped Gambhir leg before wicket for 21. The left-hand batsman walked across to play the bowler on the leg-side and was hit right in front of the stumps.
It was a crucial wicket for Australia, as the Indian openers had added 70 in no time, and now they could pull things back.
Rahul Dravid survived a few early chances at the start of his innings. On two occasions he was tentative with his foot movement, resulting in edges off Mitchell Johnson and Lee, which fell just short of the fielders behind the wicket. He, however, broke the shackles with a cracking cover drive off Lee in the 22nd over.
Sehwag then gifted his wicket as he tried to glide a wide delivery from Johnson, but hit it straight to Hayden at first slip. The opener scored 45 from 64 deliveries, including seven boundaries, but lost his wicket at a crucial juncture.
Sachin Tendulkar, needing another 77 runs to break Brian Lara's world record for most Test runs, walked to a huge cheer from the crowd. He got off the mark with a thumping boundary off Lee, when he smashed a short delivery through point, but was lucky to survive in the next over when a misunderstanding with Dravid saw him stranded in the middle of the pitch. Michael Clarke, at point, though failed to hit the stumps.
Tendulkar started positively but failed to fulfill the early promise as he fell to a tame dismissal for 13. He was beaten by a slower delivery from Johnson which he hit straight to the fielder at short cover. India were reduced to 94 for three.
VVS Laxman, Australia's biggest nemesis, failed to make an impact and was caught behind off Johnson for a duck.
Ganguly walked out to the biggest cheer of them all moments after issuing a statement denying giving an interview to a Bengali newspaper, wherein he had slammed the selectors and team mates.
India's hopes now rested a great deal on Dravid, who looked a bit settled after initial hiccups.
Debutant leg spinner Cameron White had a tough introduction to Test cricket, as Dravid creamed him for a boundary in his very first over.
At lunch on day three, India were 133 for 4 in 42 overs, still trailing Australia's first innings by 298 runs.
Dravid battled for an unbeaten on 34 from 76 deliveries, inclusive of five boundaries, while Ganguly was not out on 7 from 22 deliveries.
The session belonged to Australia as Johnson's three-wicket haul helped consolidate their position. He took three for 42 in 13 overs, while Lee took one for 27 in 11 overs to rock India.
Post-lunch session: (77 runs, 2 wickets, 29 overs)
Dravid posted his half-century after lunch when he glanced Watson for a double in the fine leg region. The crowd stood up and cheered the local hero, whose fifty came off 102 deliveries and included seven boundaries.
But two balls later the whole stadium was silenced as Dravid was dismissed leg before wicket. He was hit high on the pads by Watson and umpire Asad Rauf ruled in favour of the bowler. Replays suggested that he ball might have gone over the stumps. A disappointed Dravid walked back after scoring 51, leaving India in dire straits at 155 for five, needing another 76 runs to avoid the follow-on.
Michael Clarke, who boasts of a good bowling record against India, was introduced in the 54th over. He caused immediate problems for the batsmen, hitting the cracks and getting the ball to lift. Ganguly, after being beaten by one of those, stepped down and launched him straight for a boundary.
The usually free-flowing Mahendra Singh Dhoni found it difficult to get going. On 5, he survived a close chance when he left a delivery from White only see it come back slightly and miss the off-stump by a couple of centimeters.
Ganguly, meanwhile, found it a bit easier to score against the spinners. He swept White fine for his third four to progress to 34.
But Clarke had his man a couple of overs later, bowling Dhoni for 9. India's ODI team captain tried to play it on the off-side but the ball turned a bit and crashed on to the stumps to compound India's problems.
Harbhajan Singh seemed in no mood to hang around and looked positive against the spinners. He played a fine sweep off Clarke to bring up India's 200 in the 68th over and followed it up with a powerful slog over midwicket off White in the next over.
At the tea break, India were 210 for 6 in 71 overs, still needing another 21 runs to avoid the follow-on. The under-fire Ganguly was unbeaten on 38, while Harbhajan was not out on 12.
Post-tea session: (103 runs, 2 wickets, 30 overs)
Harbhajan and Ganguly adopted a positive approach and looked for every possible scoring opportunity. The first target was passing the follow-on mark of 231, which they did successfully in the 77th over.
But Ganguly fell soon after, trapped leg before wicket by Johnson. The left-hander scored 47 from 115 deliveries, inclusive of three boundaries, and was instrumental in helping India avoid the follow-on. But his tentative footwork brought about his downfall, as he was struck just around the off-stump by Johnson, who scalped his fourth wicket of the innings in the process.
Once again it started raining towards the end of the day and umpires stopped play with India on 234 for 7 after 80 overs.
Zaheer Khan and Australia wicketkeeper Brad Haddin were involved in a verbal spat as they walked off the field. It is learnt that the Aussie was upset after the Indians appealed for bad light. Zaheer seem annoyed and even complained to Australia captain Ricky Ponting as the players made their way back to the pavilion.
Play resumed after a short delay of 28 minutes. As the skies cleared, the Australians rushed out immediately, keen to claim the last three Indian wickets.
Harbhajan and Zaheer had no real problems against the spinners and milked the bowling quite easily. Harbhajan, in particular, played quite sensibly and looked to spend as much time as possible in the middle.
India crossed the 250-run mark in the 86th over, at the end of which Australia took the new ball. Harbhajan tried to pull a short delivery from Lee, but luckily got a top edge which flew over the slips for a boundary.
Harbhajan's knock was more of a lesson to the Indian top order on how to be patient and score runs on this wicket. Even Zaheer took the cue from his partner and started looking for runs, mainly through quick singles.
Harbhajan brought the crowd to their effort with a thumping pull shot off Lee in the 89th over and followed it up with another, the top-edge flying over the 'keeper for another boundary as he advanced to 43.
The two batsmen brought up the 50-run partnership for the eighth wicket in the 92nd over as India's score swelled to 282 for 7.
Harbhajan brought up his half-century with a smashing straight boundary off Clark. He danced down the wicket to the medium pacer and crashed him down the ground effortlessly to bring up his fifth Test fifty, in 85 balls, inclusive of five boundaries.
Zaheer was also in no mood to relent and he lofted Lee over the cover region for his second boundary to progress to 17 off 51 deliveries. He then flicked a full toss to the fine leg boundary in Clark's next over as Australia's frustration started growing.
The decision to take the new ball backfired for Australia as the two Indian batsmen added 46 runs in a mere eight overs as India reached 297 for 7 after 94 overs.
Everything was going India's way as Zaheer smashed a short delivery from Watson over the point region for a boundary as India crossed the 300-run mark. The very next ball he slapped him straight down the ground for another boundary.
Watson, though, got the key wicket of Harbhajan when he had him caught behind for 54. Harbhajan tried to cut a short delivery, but the extra bounce beat him and he could only edge it behind. He hit five boundaries in his 110-ball knock and entertained the crowd every bit.
Play was called off because of bad light as India finished the day on 313 for 8 in 101 overs, still trailing Australia's first innings score by 117 runs.
Zaheer finished unbeaten on a fine knock of 35 from 68 deliveries, with five boundaries. The session belonged to India as they added 103 runs in 30 overs despite losing two wickets.
If not for these two batsmen, Australia could have well been batting again. Their never-say-die attitude helped the Indian team fight back from the brink and they deserve rich praise for the same.
For Australia, Johnson was a revelation as he kept plugging away wickets at regular intervals to finish with four for 62 in 20 overs. Watson took important wickets to register figures of two for 37 in 15 overs, while Lee took one for 49 in 21 overs.