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How much runs are required to avoid follow-on?

Author

Sarah Smith

Published Jan 06, 2026

14.1. 1 In a two-innings match of 5 days or more, the side which bats first and leads by at least 200 runs shall have the option of requiring the other side to follow their innings.

How many runs do you need to enforce the follow-on?

The follow-on is a rule in Test cricket that forces the team batting second to bat again immediately after their first innings has finished. In Tests, the follow-on can only be enforced if the team batting first achieves a first innings lead of at least 200 runs.

What is the rule for follow-on in test cricket?

The follow-on in cricket is a rule that can be enforced in a situation when the team batting first has a substantial lead over the team batting second, following the conclusion of each side's first innings.

What is follow-on Rule?

Follow-on is a term used in the sport of cricket to describe a situation where the team that bats second is forced to take its second batting innings immediately after its first, because the team was not able to get close enough to the score achieved by the first team batting in the first innings.

Can you bat again if you enforce follow-on?

The follow on is a rule in cricket which can potentially force the team batting second to bat again straight after their original innings has finished. In test cricket, the follow on can only be enforced if the team batting first achieves a first innings lead of at least 200 runs.

29 related questions found

Can a team bat for 5 days?

Theoretically, a cricket team can bat for the entire 5 days of a test match. On each day of a test it is possible to bowl a maximum of 90 overs. So, in theory, it would be possible for one team to bat for 450 overs if they didn't lose all 10 wickets before then.

How is the follow-on total calculated?

The simple method of calculating follow-on runs in a five-day Test match is subtracting 200 runs from the first-innings total. In the aforementioned case, India will have to score one run more than 378 (578 – 200 = 378) runs to ensure that Root doesn't enforce the follow-on.

Why Australia did not enforce follow-on?

Giving them a chance of setting a target was the far more dangerous option and gave Pakistan an opportunity to win the match. By not enforcing the follow on, Australia ensured only one team could win the match, and realistically, it never should have been drawn.

Why India did not enforce follow-on?

“The reason Virat Kohli and Rahul Dravid didn't enforce a follow-on because they wanted their batsmen to spend more time on the wicket and get runs under their belt because the South Africa series is not too far away. You want Pujara and Kohli to get their magic three-figure mark which has eluded them for a long time.

How do you score runs in cricket?

One run is scored each time the batsmen cross and reach the set of stumps at the other end of the pitch. Four runs can be scored if the ball reaches the perimeter of the field or six runs if crosses the perimeter without bouncing.

What is follow-on score for 300?

For a test match of 3 days it is 100. if the team makes a score of above 300 and the difference between the scores of the 1st and 2nd is 200 or more, the first team can ask the other team to take batting of the second team. This is known as follow on. This is the at the discretion of 1st team captain.

How long is an innings in Test cricket?

Test matches are typically played over 5 days. Four innings are normally played in a test match where each team bats and bowls twice. Each day's play is typically 6 hours long with at least 90 overs bowled.

How many overs are in an inning?

An innings is made up of 50 overs. An over involves six deliveries from the bowler. At the beginning of the match, the captains toss a coin and the winner elects to either bat or bowl. The team batting then sets out to score as many runs as they can from their 50 overs.

Can a test match end in 3 innings?

The third innings concludes with the team that batted twice still trailing the team that batted once. The match ends without playing a fourth innings.

When was the last time Australia enforced the follow-on?

Since Ponting's time at the top, future Australian captains have taken a similar approach, although the last time Australia enforced the follow on came in 2019, when David Warner scored 335 in the first innings against Pakistan to lead the Aussies to an outright victory.

When was the last time Pakistan won a Test match in Australia?

2nd Test at Melbourne Cricket Ground - Dec 26-30, 2016 - Australia won by an innings and 18 runs (Pak 443/9d and 163; Aus 624/8d). 1st Test at Dubai Cricket Stadium - Oct 7-11, 2018; Match drawn (Pak 482 and 181/6d; Aus 202 and 362/8).

How many runs India need to avoid follow-on?

Law 14 of the Laws of Cricket considers the length of the match in defining the minimum lead required for the defending team to enforce the follow-on. In a match of five days or more, a side which bats first and leads by at least 200 runs has the option of requiring the other side to follow-on.

Who played the longest Test match innings?

Top Longest Innings in Test Cricket History

  • Hanif Mohammad (Pakistan, 1958) – 970 Minutes (337 Runs)
  • Gary Kirsten (South Africa, 1999) – 878 Minutes (275 Runs)
  • Alastair Cook (England, 2015) – 836 Minutes (263 Runs)
  • Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka, 1997) – 799 Minutes (340 Runs)

How is DLS calculated?

According to DLS, a team exhausts its entire resources either when it is bowled out, or when it plays the full quota of overs. So, a score of 300 all out in 48 overs is the same as a score of 300 for 6 in 50 overs (in a 50-over game).

Who is the most Test winning captain?

Graeme Smith- 53 Wins

He currently holds the record for most wins as captain in Test cricket. In 109 matches, he has won 53 Tests while losing 28 games and drawing 27 games. He is also the only test captain to play in excess of 100 test matches. (109 – 108 as captain for South Africa, and 1 for ICC).

What was the longest cricket game?

The longest test cricket match ever lasted 9 days with 680 overs bowled. The teams of South Africa and England endured, and the match earned the name The Timeless Test.