The MCG pitch was India's mortar and Chesteshwar Pujara their pestle as the tourists set about grinding down Australia in the third Test.
Pujara's 106 from 319 balls - scored over more than three sessions - was the foundation as India seemed to put themselves in an impregnable position.
Having scored 7 (dec)-443 in almost two days, they surely cannot lose.
It was the No.3's 17th Test century and his second in this series, after the man-of-the-match 123 and 71 in the Adelaide win.
Just as the slow going on the lifeless deck was tough to watch, Pujara said his innings was also hard work.
There was also some variable bounce, with Pujara eventually falling to a Pat Cummins delivery that kept low and bowled him.
"As a batsman, it's very difficult to get used to this pace," he said.
"Sometimes, you feel it's on the slower side, but one odd ball kicks up - I got it on my finger three or four times and those were not short balls.
"(So) there's always a doubt when you're playing on such pitches.
"The ball I got out to, I felt I couldn't have done anything about that."
Pujara said the key to batting so long was thinking about it as little as possible.
"Batting is like meditation - you just have to leave and (eliminate) thoughts ... stay focused on what you want to do out in the middle, rather than worrying about what is the total," he told Fox Sports.
"Rather than having any thoughts, the blank mind is the best way to bat."
Pujara said scoring 200 in a day was hard work on the MCG pitch and he warned the bounce would only vary more.
"When I was batting yesterday and batting today, I felt there was a difference," he said.
"I don't think it's easier to bat now.
"So from tomorrow onwards, I think it will get difficult to bat and our bowlers have been bowling well."
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