In a dramatic turn of events on Day 3 of the second Test against South Africa in Guwahati, the Indian cricket team faced a significant batting collapse, being dismissed for 201 in response to the visitor's first innings total of 489. This gave South Africa a substantial lead of 288 runs. Despite having the option to enforce the follow-on, Proteas skipper Temba Bavuma decided to bat again, setting India a target to chase in the final two days.
A Narrow Escape from a Rare Occurrence
Had South Africa chosen to impose the follow-on, it would have marked a significant and rare moment in Indian cricket. It would have been India's first follow-on in 14 years in Test cricket overall, and the first such instance on home soil in 15 years. This decision by Bavuma spared the Indian team from a statistical milestone they have successfully avoided for over a decade.
The last time an opposition captain asked India to follow-on was back in August 2011 at The Oval during India's tour of England. On that occasion, India suffered a heavy defeat, losing the match by an innings and eight runs. The last time India were forced to follow-on in a home Test was even further back, in February 2010 against South Africa in Nagpur, a match they lost by an innings and six runs.
India's Historic Record When Following On
While being asked to follow-on is often a sign of being outplayed, the Indian team has a legendary history of fighting back from such precarious positions. A look at the historical data reveals a fascinating story of resilience.
Out of all the times India has been forced to follow-on, they have managed to win a Test match on only one glorious occasion. This historic victory came against Australia at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata in March 2001. In one of the greatest turnarounds in Test cricket history, India, after being forced to follow-on, staged a remarkable recovery to win the match by 171 runs, thanks to legendary innings from VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid.
Apart from this famous win, India's record when following on includes a handful of draws and a larger number of defeats, underscoring the difficulty of overcoming such a massive first-innings deficit.
The Present Challenge and Historical Context
The current Indian team, led by Rishabh Pant, now faces the tough task of bowling out South Africa quickly and then chasing down a challenging fourth-innings target. The Guwahati collapse, where the entire team was dismissed in a single day, makes this an uphill battle.
This recent event and the avoided follow-on serve as a reminder of India's improved standing in world cricket. The fact that India has played over 100 Test matches since their last follow-on in 2011 is a testament to the team's batting strength and consistency over the years. It highlights a period where the Indian team has rarely been dominated to such an extent in the first innings, a sign of their growth into a world-class cricketing powerhouse.
