An all-round display from Tim Southee has given the Blackcaps hope of an improbable victory over India in the World Test Championship final.
A fighting 49 with the bat from captain Kane Williamson, as well as cameos from Southee (30) and Kyle Jamieson (21) saw the Blackcaps bowled out at tea for 249 - 32 runs ahead in the first innings.
Southee (2/17) then struck early with the ball, removing opener Shubman Gill for eight, and Rohit Sharma for 30, as India finished the day's play at 64/2 - a lead of 32 runs.
India will resume on day six with captain Virat Kohli (8 not out) and Cheteshwar Pujara (12 not out) at the crease.
Day five's play likely leaves all three results possible on the final day of play on Wednesday, however with just 98 overs left, the safe money will certainly be on the draw.
As rain again caused a delay, resulting in half-an-hour lost before a ball could be bowled, the Blackcaps began watchfully on what was originally intended to be the final day's play.
Williamson and senior statesman Ross Taylor resumed as the overnight pair, but could only score 16 runs in the first hour that favoured India's seam bowlers.
But after the drinks break, India took control of the morning session.
Taylor was the first batsman to fall, getting out in the second over after the drinks break when he chipped Mohammed Shami to Shubman Gill at short cover for 11.
Henry Nicholls could only add seven before he was the next man out, as he edged Ishant Sharma to Rohit Sharma behind the wicket.
Playing in his last test match before retirement, BJ Watling was out for one, bowled by a ball from Shami that hit the seam to disturb the stumps.
The three wickets in quick succession had New Zealand slip from 117/2 to 135/5 at lunch on day five, still 82 runs shy of India first innings score of 217 all out.
Colin de Grandhomme came and went after lunch for 13, trapped in front by Shami, and was replaced by Jamieson - who entertained with his brisk 21, including the first six of the test as he sent Shami over the long-on boundary.
But Jamieson perished the very next ball, falling into a classic trap when he hooked Shami straight to Jasprit Bumrah on the fine leg boundary.
Amid the wickets falling around him, Williamson stood tall. Even in visible pain with a suspected elbow injury, the Blackcaps' captain batted on.
After taking New Zealand past India's total with a backfoot punch to the cover boundary, Williamson fell one run short of what would have been a deserved half-century, out for a marathon 49 from 177 balls.
With the captain back in the pavilion, Southee seized the initiative, striking a lusty 30 runs from 46 balls including two huge sixes to push the Blackcaps' lead to 32 runs before he was the last man out, bowled by Ravindra Jadeja to see New Zealand all out for 249.
Southee carried that momentum into his innings with the ball, as he broke India's opening stand when he trapped Gill (8) in front at 24/1 - still eight runs shy of New Zealand's lead.
Rohit took India back in front, before Southee struck again by removing him lbw padding up to a ball that umpire Michael Gough decided was going to hit the stumps.
Both sides will return with hopes of victory on day six, starting Wednesday night (NZ time).
In the instance of a draw, New Zealand and India will share the inaugural World Test Championship title.
Join Newshub for live updates of day six of the World Test Championship final from 9pm Wednesday.
