While Mcgrath and Warne told Waugh to bat again because they were tired, Kasprowicz (pictured) said he was fine if the follow-on was forced. He then regretted his decision when he bowled 35 overs without a wicket. (Getty Images) When Steve Waugh’s Australians arrived in India riding a 15-match winning streak – extended to 16 after a 10-wicket win at the Wankhede – they carried an air of intimidation. Waugh indulged in some aura-cultivation as he addressed the media after the Mumbai win. “I think we made some psychological cracks in the opposition,” he said with a smirk.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 they were dismissed for 171 in reply to Australia’s 445.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!Australia smelled blood. They were 274 up against a low-confidence batting line-up. With Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Jason Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz in their attack, the so-called ‘final frontier’ of India’s conquest seemed close. Notably, the bowlers bowled just 12 overs on Day 3, so fatigue didn’t seem to be an issue.
EXCLUSIVE: Rahul Dravid in the iconic Eden Gardens win against Australia in 2001
Warne, however, saw things differently. Commenting on Sky Sports during the 2020 England-Pakistan Test at Southampton’s Rose Bowl, he recalled the debate over forcing follow-on.“It was 45 degrees, we were out on the field for a long time and the wicket was deteriorating,” Warne said. He remembered Waugh checking his bowlers when India collapsed. McGrath admitted he was “a bit tired” while Kasprowicz, who bowled just 13 overs, was eager to continue. Warne felt that forcing the follow-ups was a mistake. Had Australia batted again and stretched the lead past 450, the game could have turned out very differently.Former Australia coach John Buchanan also admitted that the subsequent decision was one of his weakest tactical calls.Waugh, however, remains unapologetic. Speaking to Cricket Australia, he said: “That’s the way we played at the time – we played positively. I would have loved to have won, but honestly, I haven’t spent a second regretting not beating them or forcing a follow-on.”The Eden Gardens Test is widely seen as the match that changed perceptions of the sequel. Before the match, going ahead with a 200-shot lead was a standard aggressive move. But the formidable partnership between VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid that followed in India’s 376-run stand – turned the match and produced one of the most unlikely victories in cricket.The psychological impact was huge. Between Botham’s Ashes in 1981 at Headingley and the Kolkata Test, captains forced follow-on 82 times, winning 64 of them. The only two defeats came against Australia – ironically, the team came through in 2001.Kolkata showed that even the best bowling attack can be neutralized if a side has a solid start and two batting a set on a real pitch. Waugh’s ultra-attacking fields also helped India break through the gaps and score freely.Fatigue eventually became a factor. Australian bowlers bowled out 178 overs in India’s second innings. They were exhausted on the fifth day, allowing India to take control.In modern cricket, protecting fast bowlers has become a priority. Forcing follow-ups means pitchers must return to the field within minutes of completing an inning, which increases the risk of injury — especially during long seasons. With rest days long past Tests, captains are 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, Gill enforced the follow-on despite his bowlers having already delivered 81.5 overs.Fatigue showed. West Indies batted out 118.5 overs in the second innings before India set 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 choose to bat again. This will ensure that it stays aimed at a deteriorating height that can offer sharp turns or variable bounce. This will also save the batsmen the pressure of chasing in the fourth innings.Another reason is time management. Even a slow effort in the third innings of 50 or 60 overs affects the match, reducing the chances of defeat and increasing the probability of a draw or victory.Interestingly, the stats still favor the sequel. Since the Eden Gardens Test in 2001, the captains have played it 114 times, winning 89 of those matches. There have been 21 draws and only one defeat – when Ben Stokes’ England lost to New Zealand by one run in Wellington in 2023.Waugh may still have his critics. But he has a ready statistic: after Kolkata he made the follow-on seven more times — and won each of those Tests.
