Virat Kohli ended his long wait for a Test century in style as India moved into an 88-run lead over Australia in the fourth and final Test.
India have already retained the Border-Gavaskar Trophy after winning the first two Tests, but following defeat in the third, need a win to be sure of a place in June's ICC Test Championship final against Australia at Lord's.
A draw or a defeat would leave the door open for Sri Lanka to take their place with a 2-0 series win over New Zealand. Sri Lanka need nine wickets to win the first Test on Monday's final day.
Defeat for India is very unlikely after Kohli scored his first hundred in the longest format since November 2019, his stunning 186 and Axar Patel's 79 lifting the hosts to 571 all out, with Australia reaching the close 3-0 to start their second innings.
With one day's play remaining, a draw will be the expected outcome, but the match will now be remembered for Kohli masterfully ending his drought.
He resumed on 59 with India on 289-3 and was scarcely troubled as Australia laboured on a slow pitch, allowing Kohli to bring up Test century 28 with a clipped single through square, bringing only a reserved celebration from the former captain but a rapturous reception from the raucous Ahmedabad crowd.
Commentator and former India coach Ravi Shastri proclaimed "a 600-kilo gorilla is off his back" and Kohli certainly played with freedom thereafter, reaching 150 with successive boundaries as he smacked a glorious cover drive and then threaded another four through midwicket.
His support was not as obdurate as Kohli but provided ample help in moving the scoreboard, Srikar Bahrat hitting two fours and three sixes in his 44 and Axar letting loose with five fours and four maximums.
Kohli eventually holed out at deep midwicket to bring the India innings to a close. His drought over, India will hope they have done enough to give him the opportunity to produce a similar display in London with the championship on the line.
Kohli ends 1,205-day drought
Not since scoring 136 against Bangladesh at Eden Gardens nearly three and a half years ago had Kohli reached three figures.
That is a remarkable amount of time for a player of Kohli's quality, which shone through as he scored his 75th international century, reaching that figure in 552 innings. Fellow India great Sachin Tendulkar took 566 to achieve the same feat.
Gavaskar mark equalled
Kohli's hundred was his eighth against Australia in Test cricket, moving him level with Sunil Gavaskar for the second most by an India batter. Tendulkar (11) still holds the record for centuries versus Australia in red-ball cricket for India.