Trio put India in strong position

Tendulkar was unbeaten on 70 with Yuvraj Singh eight not out when bad light stopped play as India chased down the hosts' total of 279.

Earlier Gambhir had hit 72 and Dravid 66 to put the tourists in firm control of the match.

The Black Caps did enjoy some early success when a superb direct hit by James Franklin resulted in the run out of Virender Sehwag in the third over of the day after India resumed on 29 without loss having survived seven overs last night.

Sehwag had faced just three deliveries when he was called for a risky second run after partner Gambhir had pushed a Kyle Mills delivery wide of gully, but he was well short of his ground and departed after adding just two to his overnight 22.

It could have been so much better had Mills not bowled a no ball with his first delivery of the day when he had Gambhir plumb leg before wicket when on six.

But even after removing Sehwag, the hosts were unable to make any further inroads into the India batting line-up in the first session as Gambhir brought up his 10th half century in 97 balls and he and Dravid helped the tourists to 108 for one at lunch.

India continued to accumulate runs after the interval but their 105-run second wicket partnership came to an end when Gambhir edged Chris Martin to Brendon McCullum to leave India 142 for two.

Dravid then reached his 54th Test fifty with his 10th four and he added 16 more before being bowled by Iain O'Brien, who squeezed a delivery between bat and pad to uproot the off stump and leave India 177 for three.

Tendulkar and VVS Laxman made it through to tea with the visitors at 197 for three but in the first over with the second new ball, Laxman edged a Martin delivery to Ross Taylor in the slips to depart for 30 having taken India to 238.