New Zealand are not banking on the predicted heavy rain to save them for a heavy defeat on the last day of the final Test against India in Wellington tomorrow.

India set the hosts a mammoth 617 runs to chase for victory after declaring at 434 for seven, and they had restricted the Black Caps to 167 for four when play ended early because of bad light.

Vice-captain Brendon McCullum, whose side trail the three-Test series 1-0, said: "You can't pray for rain to get you out of a sticky situation.

"I think, for us, if we find ourselves waking up in the morning with a big blue sky overhead then we've got a fight on our hands and that's something we've got to stand up to.

"If we can get out of this Test match with a draw that should stand us in good stead going forward."