Harbhajan keeps India in touch

Harbhajan Singh led an India revival towards the end of the third day of the first Test in Bangalore after a four-wicket haul from Mitchell Johnson had left the hosts with their backs to the wall.

Harbhajan struck a half-century as India’s tail frustrated Australia, who had looked on course for a big first-innings lead, to reach the close at 313 for eight.

Useful knocks from Rahul Dravid (51), Sourav Ganguly (47) and Virender Sehwag (45) had kept India from total capitulation, although they still looked to have a mountain to climb when Johnson claimed his fourth wicket of the day, that of Ganguly, to leave India 232 for seven - trailing by 198.

Harbhajan Singh makes Simon Katich take evasive action as India rally in the second half of day three

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That set the stage for Harbhajan to lead a fightback as he combined with Zaheer Khan in a stand of 80 that was ended just before stumps when the off-spinner edged a rising Shane Watson delivery to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin.

Zaheer remained unbeaten on 35 when stumps were drawn early due to the fading light.

Johnson prised out three top-order batsmen with an outstanding spell of pace and swing in the morning, although it was fellow fast bowler Brett Lee who gave Australian a heady start when he trapped Gautam Gambhir leg before.

Johnson then swung into the act, dismissing Virender Sehwag courtesy of a sharp catch at slip by Matthew Hayden.

India were in distress when Sachin Tendulkar and VVS Laxman were dismissed in quick succession.

Tendulkar, needing 77 runs to better Brian Lara's world record of the highest run-scorer in Test history, had managed only 13 when he spooned a Johnson slower ball to Cameron White at short cover point.

Mitchell Johnson has Virender Sehwag caught at slip for the first of his four wickets today

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Laxman was Johnson's third wicket of the morning, the right-hander facing 11 deliveries before edging Johnson to Haddin without scoring

Then came a revival of sorts. In a display reflecting more grit than quality strokeplay, Dravid got India past the 100-run mark. Quite typical of his innings, the 100 came up with an inside edge past Haddin.

Dravid had added 49 for the fifth wicket with Ganguly when the former was adjudged lbw to Watson despite a healthy stride forward.

Ganguly put on 40 for the sixth wicket with Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who contributed nine before he was bowled playing back to Michael Clarke's left-arm spin.

Ganguly, who is set to retire at the end of this series, battled on patiently before he was trapped in front by Johnson, who finished the day with 4-62, three short of a half-century.

Harbhajan, at the centre of the controversies of the Sydney Test earlier this year, returned to taunt the Australians - although this time his bat did the talking.

The feisty spinner smashed Australia's bowlers around the park as he top-scored with an entertaining 54.

Five boundaries, including consecutive blows in one Lee over, studded Harbhajan's innings, but he fell when he top-edged a Watson bouncer to the grateful Haddin.