Victory should be secured at some point in Tuesday’s first session, but India has had to work extremely hard for it.
Follow-On: From Badge of Honour to Strategic Dilemma
Until March 2001, enforcing the follow-on was considered a mark of dominance and superiority. Captains rarely hesitated to ask the opposition to bat again, even with a modest lead of around 230, provided the bowlers hadn’t expended too much energy in the first innings.
Everything changed at Eden Gardens when VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid’s monumental 376-run partnership turned what seemed like certain defeat into an unforgettable triumph. Though a one-off event, the impact was seismic—so much so that even a dominant Australian side hesitated to enforce the follow-on with the same confidence.
Steve Waugh, expecting a record 17th consecutive win, had no reason to doubt his decision to make India bat again in Kolkata. India had been dismissed cheaply in prior innings, so why not tighten the noose and capitalize? Similarly, India’s approach against the West Indies in the second Test in New Delhi reflected cautious calculation. In Ahmedabad, India had crushed the visitors in both innings, and in the first innings at Arun Jaitley Stadium, West Indies posted 248 over 81.5 overs, still trailing by 270 when their last wicket fell.
Shubman Gill faced a tactical decision. While it seemed unlikely that the West Indies would mount massive resistance, his five-bowler attack had already spent nearly six hours on the field. The pitch had not deteriorated significantly, but by the end of day three, conditions were expected to favor Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Washington Sundar, if not Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj. The Caribbean batsmen struggled against Kuldeep’s wrist-spin, as reflected in his fifth five-for in the first innings. Perhaps the wounds were still raw, the scars still fresh, the mindset still unsettled?
Shubman Gill’s Bold Follow-On Decision Tested Against West Indies
In only his seventh Test as captain, Shubman Gill took a bold step by enforcing the follow-on. It was the first time since Fatullah in June 2015 that India had done so when their lead was under 300 in ten available opportunities. Fatullah had been largely symbolic in a match heavily affected by weather, with India declaring at 462 for six at the end of day three. With no play before lunch on the fifth morning, Bangladesh, starting on 111 for three, were bowled out for 256 just 40 minutes into the final session. There, the follow-on was merely for bragging rights.
In New Delhi, however, the circumstances were very different. Time wasn’t a constraint—the West Indies’ first innings ended roughly midway through the Test—and India could easily have batted for the remainder of the day to extend their lead. There was no threat of rain or bad weather. Three more hours at the crease and perhaps 175 additional runs could have given the bowlers a chance to rest and recharge on a more worn surface. Yet, Shubman Gill chose otherwise. How much this decision was influenced by the upcoming limited-overs series in Australia for him and six other squad members is unclear, though personal considerations like spending the night at home likely weren’t the sole factor.
As the West Indies launched an unexpectedly fierce fightback, the Indian bowlers faced extreme toil, and Shubman Gill might have questioned the wisdom of his decision. Yet, hindsight offers no tangible benefits.
It’s probable that Gill consulted his bowling unit and head coach Gautam Gambhir before enforcing the follow-on. The collective likely relied on past history and expected the pitch to offer more assistance to the spinners by day four, but the surface defied all predictions. Despite the West Indies’ resilient resistance, India always maintained control. Victory is likely to be secured in Tuesday’s first session, though it required tremendous effort—a grind that will make the 12 World Test Championship points feel all the more rewarding.
