Venkatsai Laxman hit a sparkling unbeaten 109 to hold off Australia's inevitable victory in the second Test against India in Calcutta yesterday.

The wristy 26-year-old shared a fourth-wicket stand of 117 with skipper Sourav Ganguly (48) to lift India to 254-4 in their second innings by stumps on the third day.

But the Indians still have a long way to go to stave off defeat in the Test after being forced to follow on 274 runs in arrears earlier in the day.

The hosts trail by 20 runs with six wickets in hand, and need a miraculous turnaround over the next two days to prevent Australia from taking a decisive 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Steve Waugh's men, looking to secure Australia's first series on Indian soil in 31 years, won the first Test at Bombay by 10 wickets with two days to spare.

Laxman and Ganguly, however, ensured the Indians did not go down without a fight after making just 171 in the first innings.

Laxman, promoted to number three following his defiant 59 in the first innings, has hit 19 boundaries in his second Test century, both against Australia.

Ganguly, leading India for the first time on his home ground, fell just before close when he edged a rising ball from Glenn McGrath to wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist.

The out-of-form Rahul Dravid, forced to abandon his customary number three position, was unbeaten at close on seven.

Laxman and Ganguly came together after India lost three wickets, including the crucial one of Sachin Tendulkar, with just 115 runs on the board.

Tendulkar managed just 10 runs in each innings, this time edging a drive off fast bowler Jason Gillespie into Gilchrist's gloves.

Earlier, India added 43 runs to their overnight score of 128-8 when they were dismissed an hour after the start.

Laxman hit 33 of those runs before he was last man out after making his sixth half-century in 21 Tests.