Follow-on is a standard in Test cricket that requires teams batting second bat once more right after their first innings is over. When playing Test cricket, the follow on can only be enforced when the first team in the field has an advantage in the first innings of at 200 runs or more.
If the second team has fewer runs scored in comparison to the first team’s total The leader of the team that bats first has to make a choice about whether to impose the follow-on of the second team or to continue the initial sequence of play in which they themselves play their second innings.
By imposing follow-on, you can reduce the likelihood of a draw by making it possible for the second team’s innings to be ended earlier.
Follow-ons are generally a type of cricket in which teams bat twice, particularly in first-class cricket at home as well as the international test cricket. According to Law 14 in the MCC Laws of Cricket There is a minimum number of leads required for a team that defends to make the follow-on.
In a five-day game the team that bats first and has a lead of at 200 runs or more can choose to force an extension. In a three-day match or a four-day game an advantage of at minimum 150 is required and 100 runs for the two-day match.
It is totally depends on the captain that batted first to determine the follow-on, based on various elements such as pitch as like weather conditions, duration of a game along with the weaknesses and strengths of the opponents.
Read more:- Why don’t teams impose a follow-on, in cricket?
Pros of imposing a follow-on in Test cricket
The principal reason behind the imposition of the follow-on is to force an outcome and remove draw out, increasing the pressure on the opponent because they’ve already scored a score below par once.
This also can have a significant impact on bowlers’ spirits because they have the task of taking an additional 10 wickets, with momentum at their backs, having recently surpassed batsmen from the opposition.
By doing this, it sends a message of aggression to the opposition. This could be a psychological victory of kind by putting them in the wrong direction after having been cheaply thrown out once.
Cons of enforcing the follow-on rule in Test cricket
There are some negatives to imposing follow-on, perhaps the biggest is the chance that bowlers will fatigue after a full innings. Bowlers might not be in their best during the second innings, and that could let the batting team become more at ease and add runs to the board.
In addition, a follow-on rule means that you must bat last, which could not be the best option sometimes, considering the wear and tear on the pitch during the last couple of days of a Test. Cracks that are widening and a degrading surface aids the bowlers of the opposing team in batting later and to win a match can be a challenging task.
A classic example of a team prevailing in the match despite being asked to follow-on was the famous 2001 India against Australia Test at Eden Gardens, Kolkata where the hosts changed the game for Australia and returned after being asked to follow-on and win the match.
These incidents over time have forced captains to reconsider their approach to imposing the follow-on, even though being in the position to do so generally reveals which team has control of the game.
