India found unlikely batting heroes in tailenders Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan who launched a stunning fightback.

Responding to Australia's first innings total of 430, the hosts were gasping at a precarious 232 for seven before Harbhajan (54) and Zaheer (batting 35) saved them the blushes with a dramatic counter attack to take the score to a much healthier 313 for eight at close on an eventful third day.

While most of the star batsmen fell cheaply on the dual-paced track at the Chinnaswamy stadium, the combative Harbhajan unleashed a barrage of strokes to notch up his fifth Test half century and give India a glimmer of hope to not only save the match but push for a victory.

Harbhajan and Zaheer Khan put on a vital 80-run parnership for the eighth wicket to narrow down the lead and frustrate the Australians who seemed to be firmly in control of the proceedings at one stage.

The Indians are still trailing Australia by 117 runs and their immediate task would be to reduce the margin as much as possible since they have to bat last on a track which was expected to deteriorate.

With two days left, the Test match appears to be heading for a thrilling finish with both teams fancing their chances.

Harbhajan, who managed to take just one wicket in Australia's first innings, made amends with the bat and fell to Watson at the fag end of the day, a knock which contained five boundaries and came off 110 balls. Rahul Dravid (51) and Sourav Ganguly (47), playing in his last Test series, came up with stubborn contributions after Mitchell Johnson had ripped through the top order in a hostile morning spell by accounting for Virender Sehwag (45) Sachin Tendulkar (13) and VVS Laxman (0).

Had it not been for the astonishing rear guard action, the Indian innings could have folded much earlier.

Johnson shattered the Indian hopes of capitalising on a solid start by claiming three wickets in the first hour's play.

But it was paceman Brett Lee who drew the first blood when he trapped the left-handed Gautam Gambhir (21), who could add just one run to his overnight score.

Lee struck in his very second ball of the day and in the second over of the morning, trapping Gambhir leg before with a quick, good length delivery which swung from just outside off-stump.

Johnson then took the centre stage as he dealt three quick blows with the Indians almost gifting their wickets.

Indian batsmen capitulated to Australian fast bowlers, took lunch at 133 for four to put the visitors on top.

Indian top order batsmen failed to negotiate the Australian fast bowlers on a double-paced wicket which will deteriorate further as the match progresses.

Sehwag stood rooted to the crease as he offered an outer edge to Hayden at first slip, Tendulkar chipped the ball to Cameron White at short cover while Laxman tentatively poked at a good length ball pitched on the off and seaming away to give wicketkeeper Brad Haddin simplest of catches. Rahul Dravid compiled a fighting fifty before returning back to the pavilion. However, he was not pleased with the leg before decision given without any hesitation by Pakistan umpire Asad Rauf.

A Watson delivery swung in sharply and trapped Dravid though the disappointed batsman thought it had got an inside edge.

Dravid took 104 balls for his knock and helped himself with seven boundaries.

Dhoni (9) joined the Bengal batsman after the fall of Dravid and the duo added 40 runs for the sixth wicket.

The one-day skipper however disappointed as he was stunned by a quick Michael Clarke delivery, which uprooted his off-stump.

Sourav and Harbhajan continued the rescue act until the tea break with the latter scoring a couple of boundaries much to the delight of weekend crowd.