Doha: The new Asian Games rules sprung a pleasant surprise for India as pistol shooter Vijay Kumar bagged a bronze in spite of finishing fourth while the rowing duo of Bijender Singh and Kiran Yalamanchi won another bronze to boost the country's medals tally here today.

Vijay Kumar finished fourth in the men's 25m rapid fire pistol event with a total of 775.3 just behind China's third-place finisher Guohui Liu, who managed a total of 776.5.

But the new Games rule that one country cannot sweep all three medals in the same event fetched 21-year-old Kumar the unexpected bronze.

China's formidable Zhongsheng Liu grabbed the coveted gold medal in the event while the silver went to compatriot Penghui Zhang.

However, much-touted markswoman Anjali Bhagwat sunk without a trace once again by ending up at the rear in her event -- 50-metre air rifle 3-position.

Kumar's bronze took the Indian medals tally to 12, comprising two gold, five silver and as many bronzes, which gave them the seventh place on the table.

In rowing, Yalamanchi and Bijender clocked 3 minutes 26.01 seconds to finish ahead of fourth-placed Kazakhstan in the men's lightweight double sculls event. The gold medal went to Japan and Thailand bagged the silver.

The Indian pair exhibited a power-packed performance in the first 500m to be placed second at the half-way stage, but they lost the fight for the silver to the fast-finishing Thai pair of T Ruthtanaphol and T Anupong.