Ajinkya Rahane and Bhuvneshwar Kumar held off a late Australia charge to secure a draw for India on the final day of the fourth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
The eighth-wicket pair were called on to see off the second new ball on a deteriorating surface after the tourists, in pursuit of 349, lost five wickets for 39 runs in a dramatic collapse.
India appeared comfortable at 178 for two courtesy of Murali Vijay’s 80 and 46 from Virat Kohli, but the former’s dismissal early in the final session opened the door for Australia.
However, the hosts eventually ran into resistance from Rahane and Bhuvneshwar, who made an unbeaten 38 and 20 not out in an unbroken stand of 35 to take their side to 252 for seven at the close, 97 runs short of victory.
India made a solid start in their run-chase after Australia stand-in skipper Steven Smith declared on their overnight 251 for six.
Vijay and first-innings centurion Lokesh Rahul added 48 before the latter gloved spinner Nathan Lyon to David Warner at backward short-leg.
Vijay was given a life on 42 when Shaun Marsh dropped a simple chance off Ryan Harris at cover.
The right-hander was joined at the crease by Kohli after Rohit Sharma, almost stumped first ball, was the victim of a stunning one-handed diving catch by man of the match and series Smith at wide slip off Shane Watson on 39.
Vijay, who twice took Lyon for 16 in an over, and Kohli looked to be taking the game towards a draw with a 74-run alliance, but the former edged Josh Hazlewood behind.
Kohli followed, hitting Mitchell Starc to the cordon, before the left-armer ensured Suresh Raina marked his first Test appearance for two-and-a-half years with a pair by trapping him lbw.
Wriddhiman Saha and Ravichandran Ashwin fell in similar fashion, to Lyon and Hazlewood, to leave Rahane and Bhuvneshwar with 12 overs to survive.
The duo did that successfully as Australia failed to take a wicket with the second fresh cherry.