The Blackcaps will enter the fifth and final day of the first test against India with all three results possible, even after losing an early wicket in their run chase in Kanpur.
After India declared their second innings over at 234/7 to set the Blackcaps a target of 284 for victory, New Zealand were rocked early by the loss of opening batter Will Young, judged LBW to Ravichandran Ashwin for two.
Young's dismissal came to a ball that replays showed was travelling down the leg-side, but the 29-year-old ran out of the 15-second time allotment to review the decision, and had to trudge off late on day four.
While Young can be blamed for failing to challenge the umpire's decision in time, he can feel aggrieved to be on the end of another 50/50 decision that's gone against the Blackcaps in the first test.
Opening partner Tom Latham (two not out) survived to the end of play with his wicket intact, joined by nighwatchman Will Somerville (zero not out) with the Blackcaps at 4/1.
New Zealand will need 280 more runs for victory on the final day, or to bat out the scheduled overs and secure a draw.
Starting the penultimate day in need of wickets, Kyle Jamieson picked up where he'd left off overnight, striking in the opening overs to remove Cheteshwar Pujara for 22. A short ball strangled India's No.3 down the leg-side, caught by Tom Blundell, where an umpire review sent Pujara back to the pavilion.
Indian captain Ajinkya drove Ajaz Patel through cover to get off the mark with four, only to be trapped in front LBW next ball to have the hosts 41/3.
With their tails up, the Blackcaps took control of the opening session, thanks to a double-wicket maiden from Tim Southee. An outswinger accounted for opener Mayank Agarwal for 17, before Southee trapped Ravindra Jadeja in front LBW for a duck, to have India 51/5 with a lead of 100.
But after the Blackcaps reached lunch with the momentum firmly in their control, two partnerships after the break swung things back towards India.
Kane Williamson can rarely be faulted for his captaincy, but was ultimately too cautious when his side were on top, and missed the chance to remove India's Shreyas Iyer as he was getting started, as an outside edge went for four with no first slip in place.
And after watching the top order fall from the other end, debutant Iyer didn't need any second invitation to rescue his side, combining in a 52-run stand with Ravichandran Ashwin (32) for the sixth wicket, taking India's lead over 150.
Ashwin fell after chopping onto his stumps to give Jamieson his third wicket, bringing wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha to the middle.
Battling a neck injury that saw him unable to take the field on day three, Saha then added another 64 runs in combination with Iyer, taking India's lead past the psychological advantage of 200.
Carrying on after his first innings 105, Iyer became the first Indian batter to register a half-century and a century on debut, passing 50 for the second time in the match, this time taking 109 balls.
Iyer added 64 runs for the seventh wicket with Saha, but he fell to the final ball before tea, strangled down the leg-side to give Southee a third, as India finished the second session at 167/7 - ahead by 216 runs.
Saha batted on past tea to reach his half-century in the final hour of the day, before Ajinkya Rahane declared India's innings over at 234/7, setting New Zealand 284 runs for victory.
Walking off with an unbeaten 61, Saha added an unbroken partnership of 67 with Axar Patel (28 not out), seeing India declare for one last crack at the Blackcaps on day four.
Jamieson finished as the pick of the New Zealand bowlers with 3/40, supported by Southee's 3/75. Ajaz Patel finished with 1/60, while Somerville and Rachin Ravindra both finishes the first test wicketless.
Left with a tricky four overs to negotiate in dying light, Young was the only Blackcap to be dismissed on day four, trapped in front for two.
There were nervy moments as Latham was nearly run out trying to get off strike in the last over, but the left-hander made his ground to the throw of Jadeja, and will loom as a key figure for New Zealand's hopes of salvaging a draw.
While unlikely to push for victory, a win would see the Blackcaps defeat India in an away test match for the first time since 1988, to take an unassailable 1-0 series lead, and 12 World Test Championship points.
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