India suffered a middle-order collapse on Day 3 of the second Test in Guwahati, bowled out for 201 in response to South Africa’s first-innings total of 489. Despite a commanding 288-run lead and the option to enforce the follow-on, South Africa captain Temba Bavuma chose to bat again.

With a little over two days left in the match, the Rishabh Pant-led side now faces the dual challenge of dismissing the visitors quickly and then chasing whatever total is set. The task looks steep, especially after India was bundled out within a single day.

Had India been asked to follow on, it would have been the host’s first in 14 years overall and first in 15 years on home soil. The last time India were asked to follow on in Test cricket was in 2011 during their tour of England at The Oval. India lost that match by an innings and eight runs.

Since then, India has played more than 100 Tests without a follow-on. At home, the last time India were asked to follow on was in 2010 against South Africa in Nagpur. India lost that game by an innings and six runs.

On Indian soil, the Indian team was asked to follow-on thrice – against Australia (2001), New Zealand (2003) and South Africa (2010). Overall, in 33 matches where India has been asked to follow on, India has managed a win only once, in 2001 against Australia.

What is follow-on in Test cricket?

A follow-on in a Test match takes place when the captain of the team, with a lead of at least 200 runs in the first innings, asks the opposition team to bat again rather than batting their own second innings. This forces the trailing team to bat back-to-back in a Test match. A follow-on is a part of a strategic choice by the leading team captain.