Follow-On Calculator
Check if the follow-on can be enforced based on lead scores and match format.
ICC Follow-On Rules
The minimum lead required to enforce the follow-on depends on the length of the match:
- 5 days or more: 200 runs
- 3 or 4 days: 150 runs
- 2 days: 100 runs
- 1 day: 75 runs
Note: If the start of play is delayed by one or more days, the required lead reduces based on the remaining scheduled days of play.
⚡ Strategy
Enforcing the follow-on can aggressively push for a win, but it also risks exhausting your bowlers if they have to bowl back-to-back innings without rest.
📊 Success Rate
Teams enforcing follow-on win approximately 85% of such matches. Only 3 teams in 147 years of Test cricket have won after being asked to follow on.
Teams That Won After Following On
In the entire history of Test cricket since 1877, only three teams have managed to win a match after being forced to follow on. These are among the greatest comebacks in cricket history.
Should You Enforce the Follow-On?
The decision to enforce the follow-on is one of the most crucial tactical choices in Test cricket. Here are the factors captains consider:
✅ Reasons to Enforce
- Your bowlers are fresh and in rhythm
- The pitch is deteriorating quickly
- Weather threatens later days
- Opposition has a long tail
- Your batting is unreliable
- Time is running out for a result
❌ Reasons to Decline
- Bowlers are exhausted (hot conditions)
- Pitch will crack on Day 4-5
- You want to bat last is dangerous
- Set an insurmountable target
- Rest key bowlers for next match
- Historical caution (post-2001 trend)
How to Use This Calculator
Select Match Duration
Choose the scheduled match length. Most international Tests are 5 days, but domestic matches may be 3-4 days.
Enter First Innings Scores
Input Team 1's score (batting first) and Team 2's score. The calculator determines the lead automatically.
Check Status
Click "Check Status" to see if the follow-on can be enforced, the current lead, and how many more runs are needed.
Follow-On Statistics in Test Cricket
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Follow-On rule in cricket?
The follow-on allows the team batting first to ask the team batting second to bat again immediately if they lead by a specific margin after the first innings. This usually happens in Test matches to force a result.
What is the minimum lead to enforce follow-on?
For a 5-day Test match, the lead must be at least 200 runs. For shorter matches, the requirement is lower: 150 runs for 3-4 days, 100 runs for 2 days, and 75 runs for 1 day.
Is the follow-on mandatory?
No, enforcing the follow-on is optional. The captain of the team batting first can choose to bat again to set a larger target and rest their bowlers.
Has any team won after being forced to follow-on?
Yes, it has happened only 3 times in Test cricket history. Most famously, India defeated Australia at Kolkata in 2001 after following on 274 runs behind, with VVS Laxman scoring 281. England (1894 and 1981) are the other two instances.
Why would a captain choose NOT to enforce the follow-on?
Captains may decline the follow-on to rest tired bowlers (especially in hot conditions), avoid batting last on a deteriorating pitch, or set an insurmountable target. Steve Waugh famously stopped enforcing follow-ons after 2001 Kolkata.
What happens if play is delayed or days are lost?
If the scheduled start of play is delayed, the follow-on lead requirement is based on the remaining scheduled days. For example, if Day 1 of a 5-day Test is washed out, the follow-on lead becomes 150 runs (4-day rule applies).
Can the follow-on be enforced in ODI or T20 cricket?
No, the follow-on rule applies only to multi-day cricket (Test matches and first-class cricket). Limited-overs formats like ODIs and T20s do not have a follow-on provision.
What is the biggest follow-on deficit overcome in Test history?
India overcame a 274-run deficit against Australia in the famous 2001 Kolkata Test. After being forced to follow-on at 171 all out (vs 445), India scored 657/7 declared and won by 171 runs.