How many runs does Team India need to avoid following on?
Team India need to score a minimum total of 379 runs against England at the Chepauk in order to ensure that visiting skipper Joe Root cannot enforce a follow-on. At 298/6, India are currently 81 runs away - with only 4 wickets in hand - from avoiding a follow-on.
England put up a mammoth 578 on the scoreboard buttressed by a brilliant double-century by captain Root and a blistering 82 off just 118 deliveries by Ben Stokes.
During their response to England's first innings total, Team India lost a flurry of wickets on Day 3 as their batting order - barring Cheteshwar Pujara and Rishabh Pant - failed to deliver. Cheteshwar Pujara was dismissed in an unlucky manner after a well-played 73, while Pant missed out on a well-deserved century - getting caught in the deep on 91 off just 88 deliveries.
How is the follow-on score calculated?
According to the MCC cricket laws - “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.”
To put it simply - in a five-day Test match, if the team batting first leads by 200 runs or more at the end of the 2nd innings, they can enforce a follow-on.
Can team India avoid a follow-on?
At the end of play on Day 3, team India found themselves in a spot of bother, trailing by 321 runs with virtually all the known specialist-batsmen back in the pavilion.
While local lads R Ashwin and Washington Sundar are leading a fightback, at 298/6, Team India find themselves in with a good chance of avoiding a follow-on.
After the heroics against Australia last month, absolutely nothing can be taken away from the high-spirited team, and we could well witness another historic comeback in the Test match on day 4.
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