when Steve WaughThe Australians arrived in India riding a 15-match winning streak – extended to 16 after a 10-wicket win at Wankhede – and created an atmosphere of terror. While addressing the media after the win in Mumbai, Waugh took part in some more farming. “I think we made some psychological dents in the opposition,” he said with a smile.A week later, it was 31. In the second Test at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, India lasted just 58.1 overs in the first innings and were bowled out for 171 in reply to Australia’s 445.Go beyond limits with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!Australia smelled blood. They had a lead of 274 against a less confident batting line-up. Their attack was outstanding. Glenn McGrathShane Warne, Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprochs, and the so-called “last frontier” to conquer India seemed imminent. Notably, the bowlers only bowled 12 overs on the third day, so fatigue is unlikely to be an issue.
Warren, however, saw things differently. While commentating for Sky Sports during the 2020 England-Pakistan Test at the Rose Bowl in Southampton, he recalled the debate over implementing follow-on.
Poll
Based on historical data, should teams implement a follow-on even when leading by 200 runs or more?
“It was 45 degrees, we had been on the field for a long time, and the wicket was going to get worse,” Warne said. He remembered Waugh checking his bowlers when India broke. McGrath admitted he was “a bit tired”, while Kasprochs, who bowled just 13 overs, was eager to continue. Warren felt that implementing the follow-on was a mistake. Had Australia batted again and pushed the lead past 450, the game could have unfolded very differently.Former Australian coach John Buchanan has also admitted that the decision to follow-on was one of his poor tactics.Waugh, however, remains unforgiving. In an interview with Cricket Australia, he said, “That’s how we played then – we played positive. I would have loved to win, but honestly, I haven’t spent a second regretting not killing them or implementing a follow-on.The Eden Gardens Test is widely seen as the match that changed perceptions of the follow-on. Before the game, implementing it with a 200-run lead was the default offensive move. But there was a partnership of 376 runs between the epics. VVS Laxman And Rahul Dravid As India followed on – turned the match around and achieved one of cricket’s most improbable victories.Its psychological impact was enormous. Between Botham’s Ashes at Headingley and the Kolkata Test in 1981, captains imposed follow-ons 82 times, winning 64 of them. The only two defeats came against Australia – ironically, the team implemented it in 2001.Kolkata showed that even the best bowling attack can be neutralized if a team gets off to a solid start and has two set batsmen on the right pitch. Waugh’s ultra-attacking fields also helped India close the gap and score freely.Fatigue eventually became a factor. Australia’s bowlers scored 178 overs in India’s second innings. By the fifth day, they were exhausted, allowing India to take control.In modern cricket, the safety of fast bowlers has become a top priority. Enforcing follow-on means bowlers must return to the field within minutes of finishing an innings, increasing the risk of injury – especially during long seasons. After a rest day from Tests, captains have become more cautious.Indian captain Shubman Gill faced this dilemma during the Test against West Indies in Delhi. After India declared at 518 for 5 and dismissed the visitors for 248, Gayle imposed the follow-on even though his bowlers had already bowled 81.5 overs.Fatigue appeared. In the second innings, West Indies batted for 118.5 overs and gave India a modest target of 121 runs. India chased it down comfortably but would probably have preferred a lighter workload for the bowlers.Today, captains often opt to bat again. Doing so ensures that they bowl last on a deteriorating pitch that may offer sharp turns or variable bounce. It also saves the batsmen from the pressure of a fourth innings chase.Another reason is time management. Even a sloppy third innings effort of 50 or 60 overs eats away at the match, making a loss less likely and a draw or win more likely.Interestingly, the data still favor follow-on. Since the 2001 Eden Gardens Test, captains have implemented it 114 times and won 89 of those matches. There have been 21 draws, and just one defeat — when Ben Stokes’ England lost by one run to New Zealand in Wellington in 2023.Waugh still has his critics. But he has the statistics ready: after Kolkata, he enforced the follow-on seven more times – and won every one of those Tests.
