Steve Smith scored a chanceless 178 not out.
Cheteshwar Pujara produced an 11-hour double ton.
Yet who would have thought the Australian public would be singing the praises of a Marsh brother at some point in this Border-Gavaskar series, let alone after those two couch-settling knocks?
Shaun Marsh and Peter Handscomb combined on day five for an unforgettable and potentially series-winning partnership as the two sides head to Dharamsala with India needing to win to regain the Border-Gavaskar trophy.
Handscomb and Marsh scored off just 61 of 397 (15%) balls faced between them to ensure Australia would become just the third team to survive for a draw in India after facing an 150-plus run deficit after the first innings.
Following Smith and Glenn Maxwell's 191-run stand in the opening innings which most of Australia thought had it in a commanding position, Pujara put together a knock that all Test purists would've savoured. While Pujara was getting comfy out in the middle, his teammates were falling around him and at 6-328, Australia would've had their sights on a first innings lead. Wriddhiman Saha had other ideas.
78 overs and 199 runs later, Pujara had registered his third double ton of his career with Saha raising the bat for the third time in his. India's declaration came after Ravindra Jadeja posted 54 of 55 balls, leaving Australia to face out eight overs with a 152-run deficit.
Now was a better time than ever for David Warner to step up and show he can bat on the crumbling wickets of India when his country needed it most.
Unfortunately, he would last just 31 balls into the second innings as he was bowled by Jadeja following a tentative defensive prod coupled with some indecisive footwork.
Nathan Lyon came to the crease as nightwatchman however he too would succumb to Jadeja as Australia would head to stumps at 2-23 with Matthew Renshaw continuing to show the maturity that has Australian fans salivating at the thought of a potential 15-year career in the Baggy Green.
Smith joined Renshaw at the crease in the morning of day five with the Ranchi pitch playing a lot better than it looked. Variable bounce was present as you would expect on a day five pitch as the Australian pair comfortably survived Jadeja and Umesh Yadav in the opening hour of play.
Not long after, Renshaw was given his marching orders by umpire Ian Gould as Ishant Sharma trapped the lanky left-hander in front for 15, chewing up 84 balls in the process.
Three balls later, Steve Smith produced his best Virat Kohli impersonation as he shouldered-arms to a Jadeja delivery that removed his off stump and sent the Indian crowd into raptures.
In 38 Test innings prior to this match, Australia had failed to produce a fifth-wicket partnership of more than 100 runs.
Following the stand of Handscomb and Marsh, they'd have accomplished this twice within four days, with both stands going on to play large parts in the final result of this match.
Pujara was named man of the match for brilliant knock of 202 as the series is set for a grandstand finish in Dharamsala.
