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Ganguly's fifty puts India in driving seat

Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni hit 43 not out as the hosts moved to a confident position after resuming on 311 for five.

The overnight pair shared in an unbroken stand of 101 runs as the Australia bowlers struggled to dislodge them on a slow pitch that offered them little.

India lead 1-0 in the four-test series after winning the second match at Mohali by a record 320 runs. The other two tests were drawn.

Australia, the world's top-ranked team, are trying to avoid their first series defeat since the 2005 Ashes tour of England.

Ganguly was not out on 80 and played some graceful drives for his 35th test fifty after resuming on 27.

The 36-year-old former captain, who scored centuries in his first two tests on the 1996 tour of England, had announced at the start of the series that this would be his last.

Ganguly used his feet particularly well against debutant off-spinner Jason Krejza, hitting him for a six and later steering to the boundary off his toes as India added 93 runs in the early session.

The left-hander, who scored a century in the second test, off-drove left-arm paceman Mitchell Johnson to the fence and approaching his century cut Krejza for four.

Krejza, who took three wickets on the opening day, went for 57 runs the morning session and was just five short of conceding 200 in the innings.

The 25-year-old has done the bulk of the bowling and Australia did not bring on leg-spinner Cameron White in the session.

Sachin Tendulkar scored his 40th test hundred on the opening day to enable India to take early control of the match.

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