Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane helped spare India's blushes in Melbourne as the third Test against Australia ended in a draw, although it was not enough to save the series for the visitors.
Chasing a victory target of 384 on day five to keep alive their chances of tying the four-match series, India were on the ropes when they were reduced to 19 for three after just eight overs.
But a fourth-wicket stand of 85 between Kohli and Rahane set the tourists back on track and they ploughed on to reach 174 for six before captains Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Steve Smith shook hands - with Dhoni then going on to retire from Test cricket all together.
The result means Australia win the series, holding an unbeatable 2-0 lead heading into the final Test in Sydney next week.
The home side resumed on 261 for seven in their second innings, a lead of 326, but their hopes of pushing on were not helped by early rain delays.
Once the skies brightened, overnight pairing Shaun Marsh and Ryan Harris (21) took their eighth-wicket stand on to 69 before the latter edged Mohammed Shami to Dhoni.
Marsh moved his overnight score towards a likely third Test century only to be run out on 99 by Kohli.
Marsh's demise prompted the declaration from Smith on 318 for nine, but India's run chase got off to a shaky start.
Shikhar Dhawan was trapped leg before by Harris without scoring, Lokesh Rahul followed six balls later to Mitchell Johnson and Murali Vijay was also removed lbw, this time by Josh Hazlewood.
Kohli moved past his half-century, off 87 balls, with a flurry of boundaries, while Rahane was a calmer presence at the other end as India staged a recovery.
Harris eventually broke the partnership, removing Kohli for 54, while his replacement Cheteshwar Pujara added a patient 21 before he was bowled by Johnson.
Rahane fell just short of his own fifty, Hazlewood claiming his second scalp, to leave India on 142 for six.
But Dhoni and Ravichandran Ashwin stood firm and a draw was eventually settled on with four overs remaining.