DHONI MATURING AS A BATSMAN

India's crisis man VVS Laxman said on Friday MS Dhoni had matured over the last year and was now playing according to the situation the team was in.

"Dhoni realised that it was important to play a fighting knock. He's become very mature in the last year or so," Laxman told STAR Cricket after the end of the third day's play.

The two were involved in a crucial partnership after India had lost their middle order cheaply and managed to stage a recovery from where the visitors could set a stiff target for the hosts.

Laxman put on another exquisite performance shepherding the tailenders to take India's lead past the psychological 400-run mark. It wasn't a trademark fluent innings, but a workmanlike 79 that has put India in with a chance to win this Test and upset Australia's bid of a 17th straight Test win.

"It was a different innings because we lost early wickets. The pitch also had become a little slow compared to what it was on day two," he said.

The Hyderabadi said it was "encouraging" to see the way RP Singh applied himself and batted. The two put on 51 runs, 30 of those came off RP's bat.

"It was good to see the way RP hung on. He was not comfortable against Brett Lee so I took more strike. But he was comfortable against the other bowlers," he said.

On batting in Australia, Laxman said he enjoyed the wickets because they were "true and you get purchase for your shots".