Wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant inched closer to a century, but Cheteshwar Pujara missed out on a double hundred as India reached a commanding 491 for 6 at tea on day two of the fourth Test against Australia at Sydney on Friday.
Pant scored his first half-century of the series after Pujara was dismissed for a mammoth 193 runs, facing 373 balls and hitting 22 fours.
At the break, Pant was unbeaten on 88 runs, while Ravindra Jadeja was batting on 25 not out.
Post lunch, there were no signs of India speeding up the run-rate in order to declare quickly as the two batsmen batted as resolutely as in the morning.
India crossed 400 in the 123rd over with Pant and Pujara bringing up their 50-run partnership off 74 balls. In all, they added 89 runs for the sixth wicket.
Pujara got a life on 192 when Usman Khawaja dropped him at slip off Nathan Lyon (3-144) in the 126th over. But the batsman couldn't score his first overseas Test double hundred and offered a tired return catch to Lyon four overs later.
He walked off to a standing ovation from the SCG ground, as Jadeja took guard.
The new partnership was also slow off the blocks scoring at just about 3 runs per over for the first eight overs.
But they slowly changed gears after Pant had reached his third Test half-century off 85 balls.
He shared 73 off 96 balls for the unbeaten seventh wicket with Jadeja, as the Australian bowlers looked tired and listless.
Earlier, India reached 389-5 at lunch.
India have an unassailable 2-1 series' lead after winning the first Test in Adelaide by 31 runs and the third Test in Melbourne by 137 runs. Australia had won the second Test in Perth by 146 runs.
