“The pitch has become slow and there is a bit of bounce to go with it,” said Indian batting mainstay VVS laxman after putting the visitors in the driver’s seat with a well-timed 79-run knock in the second innings on Friday.

Australian coach Tim Nielsen also agreed and felt the Indians were in a very strong position going into the fourth day as they had a quality spinner in Anil Kumble.

“It has been very hot here, which has made the track dry.

It is offering a lot of spin and bounce. India have a quality spinner in their ranks, which makes them all the more challenging on a fourth day track,” he said after the world champions ended the day 65-2 chasing a mammoth 413 for a record-breaking 17th straight Test win.

A worried Nielsen said the Australians were banking on skipper Ricky Ponting, who has had an ordinary series so far, to guide the team to the huge target.