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.

That's Stumps on Day 3 of the first @Paytm #INDvENG Test! 9⃣1⃣ for @RishabhPant17 7⃣3⃣ for @cheteshwar1 4⃣ wickets for Dom BessScorecard 👉 https://t.co/VJF6Q62aTS pic.twitter.com/adDpEVlFIu

— BCCI (@BCCI) February 7, 2021

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.

Dom Bess strikes! AGAIN Short ball, Pujara pulls, it hits Ollie Pope at short leg and scoops to Rory Burns, who gleefully takes it. Pujara is out for 73 and IND are 192/5IND need 187 more to avoid the follow-onMatch Report ➡️https://t.co/RO3CLN6HIO#INDvsENG #Pujara

— Cricket.com (@weRcricket) February 7, 2021

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