India need 320 runs and New Zealand nine wickets with two days left in a gripping first test at Eden Park.
World No 2-ranked India will start the penultimate day on 87 for one, chasing 407 for victory after rolling New Zealand for just 105 in their second innings.
New Zealand were guilty of squandering a powerful position after dismissing India for 202 before lunch, to take a 301-run first innings lead.
However they tumbled to 15 for four at lunch and had to scrap hard to reach three figures.
Ross Taylor's 41 was top score, and no other batsman reached 15.
Mohammed Shami was the pick of an aggressive Indian bowling attack, with three for 30. Ishant Sharma followed his six first innings wickets with three for 28 and veteran Zaheer Khan took two for 23.
India lost Murali Vijay in the final session but Shikhar Dhawan, dropped on seven by New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum in the second over of the innings, and Cheteshwar Pujara had reached 49 and 22 respectively.
- by David Leggat
