Introduction: India’s Struggles in the Gabba Test
Team India won the first Test at Perth Stadium. But, they have lost momentum in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. After a humbling loss in the pink-ball Test in Adelaide, Rohit Sharma’s men now face a tough test in the Gabba Test. After a poor batting display in Brisbane, the Indian side is at risk of a shameful follow-on against a dominant Australia.
What Is Follow-On in Test Cricket?
However, if the team batting second concedes a lead of 200 runs or more, the team batting first has the right to ask their opponents to bat again. This process is called follow-on and has significant importance in Test cricket.
For instance, Australia posted 445 runs in their first innings of the ongoing Gabba Test. Thus, India must score 246 runs to avoid the follow-on. At the time of writing, the visitors were reeling at 180 for six, needing 65 runs to avoid the follow-on, with Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja batting in the middle.
India’s Position in the Gabba Test
Opting to bowl first after winning the toss, India aimed to capitalize on overcast conditions in Brisbane. Despite early breakthroughs that left Australia struggling at 74/3, the visitors were unable to contain Steve Smith and Travis Head. Both Australian batsmen scored remarkable centuries, helping the hosts to a commanding first-innings score of 445.
In response, India’s struggles against the moving ball continued. Apart from KL Rahul, who managed a gritty half-century, none of the Indian batters stepped up to the challenge. By stumps, India found themselves at 180/6, with 65 runs still needed to avoid the follow-on.
Can India Avoid the Follow-On?
At the time of writing, India’s hopes rest on the partnership between Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ravindra Jadeja. The duo will need to produce a resilient stand to add the remaining 65 runs required to avoid the follow-on. A failure to do so would likely leave India with minimal chances of salvaging a result in this Test, given Australia’s stronghold at The Gabba.
With the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at stake, all eyes are on India’s lower-order resilience. Avoiding the follow-on would give the visitors a fighting chance to turn the tide in Brisbane.