Half-centuries from each of India's top-order batsmen gave the hosts the control after their bowlers had dismissed New Zealand for 193 on the second day of the third and final Test on Sunday.

At the close, India had reached 292 for two for a lead of 99 runs, with the experienced duo of Rahul Dravid (69) and Sachin Tendulkar (57) at the crease.

Dravid, with his 60th fifty in Tests, and Tendulkar, who needed 43 more for his 50th Test hundred, have already added 100 runs for the unbroken third-wicket partnership.

Earlier, New Zealand had resumed on their overnight score of 148 for seven but lasted just one hour with 45 runs added to their total.

Paceman Ishant Sharma snapped up the wickets of Brendon McCullum (40) and Andy McKay (5) to add to his scalps on the first day, Taylor and Vettori.

McCullum edged to captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni behind the stumps while trying to force Sharma off the back foot, then debutant McKay had his stumps uprooted by an off-cutter.

Paceman Southee (38) was left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha's third wicket of the innings after a cameo during which he hit three huge sixes to move the visitors close to the 200-run mark.

Virender Sehwag (74) and Gautam Gambhir (78) combined for a quickfire opening stand of 113 after Sharma and Ojha picked up the final three New Zealand wickets in the morning.

Sehwag flayed the New Zealand bowlers and brought up a run-a-ball half-century -- his 26th in Tests -- with 12 boundaries and a six before falling to New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori caught and bowled.

The flamboyant right-hander played some delicate late cuts and audacious upper cuts and pulls as the visitors looked to attack him with short-pitched deliveries.

Whenever the New Zealand pacers Martin, Southee or debutant Andy McKay tried to add an extra yard of pace, they were guided over the slips through the vacant third man region with minimum fuss by Sehwag.

At the other end, Gambhir, who had grown in confidence watching Sehwag bat, also clipped Southee to square leg for successive boundaries. He also hit a lovely cover drive off McKay who did trouble the southpaw as he brought a few back into the batsman.

After Sehwag's departure, Gambhir looked even more fluent with his drives while Dravid quietly settled down. Gambhir completed his 13th Test half century hitting Vettori over deep mid-wicket for a boundary.

Just when he looked like getting set for his 10th Test century, he needlessly flashed a Southee delivery to be caught by Ross Taylor at gully ending a fruitful 79-run second wicket stand with Dravid.