Last Updated:December 17, 2024, 1:09 pm IST
India need at least 245 runs in their first innings of the Gabba Test to avoid following-on.
India captain Rohit Sharma will want his side to avoid the Follow-On [AP Photo]
The third 2024 Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test between India and Australia has become a battle of Follow-On. The Pat Cummins-led have spent most of Tuesday’s play fighting to get India out under 245 runs, which would keep the possibility of enforcing the Follow-On open.
In simple terms, when a team asks its opponent to Follow-On, it makes the latter bat for back-to-back innings. So, in the case of the Gabba Test, Australia can win the match by bowling India out under 200 runs. Then, if Rohit Sharma’s men cross the 200-run threshold, whatever runs they score over it would be Australia’s target.
However, if India avoid the Follow-On, the Test would go on as usual, with Australia batting again to set India the target for the final innings. The Follow-On can only be enforced when the team that batted first in a Test bowls out its opponent with a lead of more than 200 runs.
Indian men’s Test team were last asked to Follow-On in 2011 by England at the Oval. That tour ended in a forgettable 4-0 whitewash for the then MS Dhoni’s team.
Here are the Marylebone Cricket Club’s complete laws on the Follow-On:
14.1 Lead on first innings
14.1.1 In a two-innings match of 5 days or more, the side which bats first and leads by at least 200 runs shall have the option of requiring the other side to follow their innings.
14.1.2 The same option shall be available in two-innings matches of shorter duration with the minimum leads as follows:
– 150 runs in a match of 3 or 4 days;
– 100 runs in a 2-day match;
– 75 runs in a 1-day match.
14.2 Notification
A captain shall notify the opposing captain and the umpires of his/her intention to take up this option. Once notified, the decision cannot be changed.
14.3 First day’s play lost
If no play takes place on the first day of a match of more than one day’s duration, 14.1 shall apply in accordance with the number of days remaining from the start of play. The day on which play first commences shall count as a whole day for this purpose, irrespective of the time at which play starts.
Play will have taken place as soon as, after the call of Play, the first over has started. See Law 17.2 (Start of an over).
Location :Brisbane, Australia
News cricket What Are The Rules For Follow-On In Tests?
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