Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir put on an opening stand of more than 150 as India reached 178 for two in reply to New Zealand's first-innings score of 350 on the second day of the second test.
Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar werethe not out batsmen at the close on Saturday after both openers departed in quick succession.
Sehwag (96) and Gambhir (54) built on the good work of bowlers Zaheer Khan and Harbhajan Singh, who finished with four wickets each as India took the last six New Zealand wickets for only 92 runs this morning.
Sehwag and Gambhir combined to add 160 for the first wicket as India looks to justify its top-ranking after escaping with a draw in the opening test at Ahmedabad.
New Zealand
First innings (overnight 258-4)
T McIntosh b Khan 102
B McCullum c Dhoni b Sreesanth 4
M Guptill lbw b Ojha 85
R Taylor c Dhoni b Khan 24
J Ryder c Laxman b Singh 70
G Hopkins lbw b Khan 4
K Williamson lbw b Khan 4
D Vettori lbw b Singh 11
T Southee st Dhoni b Singh 10
B Arnel not out 6
C Martin c Sehwag b Singh 3
Extras (20lb, 2b, 4nb, 1w) 27
Total (117.3 overs) 350
