The tourists seemingly face an uphill battle on the flattest pitch imaginable tomorrow and Monday to prevent next week's third test in Wellington shaping as a decider.
New Zealand probably exceeded even their wildest expectations when dismissing India for 305 in their first innings -- 314 short of New Zealand's 619 for nine declared.
India were 47 for one at the close, still 267 runs shy of setting New Zealand a fourth innings run chase.
Most teams would face a match-saving assignment of that magnitude with trepidation but experienced Indian VVS Laxman, who has previous experience orchestrating improbable comebacks, remained positive despite failing to kick on from his own encouraging start first time around.
Rahul Dravid's 83 and Laxman's 76 were the only Indian scores to surpass fifty on a perfect batting surface but the latter had no doubt the tourists could at least save the game.
"We have done some amazing things in the past and we take a lot of confidence from that," he said.
"We have come out of some tough situations as recent as December when we got almost 400 runs on the final day against England."
Laxman cited India's six-wicket win against England at Chennai before Christmas -- a test the hosts won by scoring 387 for four on a wearing pitch.
The 2001 test at Kolkata's Eden Gardens might be a more pertinent reference point, as it was there India stunned Australia by winning after following on.
Laxman's 281 and Dravid's 180 were instrumental in the execution of that memorable fightback.
"This team has the opportunity to do something special also," he said, noting "it's a very good batting strip."
So good in fact Martin acknowledged it has been"difficult to picture" taking eight Indian wickets today.
"The results showed the discipline we bowled with.
"It's still a good wicket. The way we've bowled on it has put India under pressure and I think the surface is irrelevant -- it's where you put the ball on the surface.
"There's not a big window for a bowler to miss on this wicket and the pitch will stay pretty true."
Martin went unrewarded for 18 overs but his hard work was eventually rewarded with the second new ball as he took three for 89 -- a haul that enabled him to become the fifth New Zealand bowler to 150 test wickets.
The pick of his stash was Laxman, caught by Tim McIntosh in the slips, just the sort of tonic required to keep the energy levels up.
New Zealand delivered 93.5 overs in India's first innings and another 17 late today -- but Martin said thoughts of levelling the series would fortify the bowlers.
"I think we're all in a pretty good space -- it's not often New Zealand are in a position to enforce the follow on."
New Zealand can surely also rely on Ryder to create some momentum either with bat, ball or in the field.
After anchoring New Zealand's first innings with a sublime 201, he secured the key wicket of Dravid with the last ball of his first over after being enlisted as Daniel Vettori's sixth bowling option.
Dravid could not help cutting at a wide delivery and was caught behind.
The 24-year-old then had Dinesh Karthik caught on Martin's behalf before ending the innings when taking a screamer from Zaheer Khan's bat in the gully from Iain O'Brien's bowling.
"He's just one of those naturally talented athletes," Martin said.
"To look at him you wouldn't think he could do half the things that he does.
"Today he lulled a guy who was batting nicely into a bad shot. It sums the guy up -- he's a little bit better than you think."
