Tendulkar became the third Indian batsman to register a half-century as the home side continued to chip away at Australia’s total in the first test.
Tendulkar was batting on 64, having hit nine fours, at the break and had Suresh Raina (26) for company with India still trailing Australia by 148 runs.
India lost nightwatchman Ishant Sharma (16) in the morning but Rahul Dravid and Tendulkar, who share more than 25,000 test runs between then, featured in a 79-run stand to steady the ship.
Dravid fell after a 134-ball 77 when he edged a Doug Bollinger delivery to give the Australian pacer his second wicket of the match.
Tendulkar took a single off Shane Watson to reach his 57th test half-century and remain on course for a 49th test century.
Opener Virender Sehwag had cracked a 54-ball 59 on Saturday to set the tone for India’s reply.