When was the last time India enforced a follow-on and had to bat again before IND vs WI 2025 2nd Test?

Team India have had a dominant record while enforcing the follow-on in Tests, securing wins by just having to bat once on the majority of the occasions. However, at times, they have failed to bowl out the opposition twice inside their first innings total, having to turn up to bat again.

The Shubman Gill-led side secured a win by an innings and 140 runs in the series opener against the West Indies at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad to mark a dominant start to their home season. A similar pattern followed in the second Test at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi as well after India posted a mammoth 518-5 in the first innings, before bowling out the opposition for 248, and securing a massive 270-run lead.

After enforcing the follow-on midway on Day 3, West Indies have responded with a stellar fightback, losing only two more wickets before the close of play. Fifties from John Campbell and Shai Hope meant that they recovered from 35-2 to 173-2 at Stumps. At the time of writing, the Men in Maroon are placed at 187-2 in the first session of Day 4, trailing only 83 runs.

With eight wickets in hand and a decent pitch at play, there is a high chance that the West Indies can conjure up a lead in the second innings, and bring India out to bat again to chase a target.

The last time such an instance occurred with Team India, it was during the home series opener against England in 2012. The hosts had scored a massive first innings total of 521-8 in Ahmedabad, courtesy of Cheteshwar Pujara's double hundred. The spinners then ran riot to bowl out England for 191, thereby securing a 330-run lead.

Skipper MS Dhoni enforced the follow-on, but had to deal with a fightback from the visitors. England openers Alastair Cook and Nick Compton put on 123 runs for the first wicket to set a foundation. The skipper scored a patient 176 runs while wicket-keeper Matt Prior also led a charge with 91 runs off 225 deliveries.

India eventually took 154.3 overs to bowl out England for the second time in the contest, conceding 406 runs. The visitors' fightback led to a slender lead of 77 runs, which the Men in Blue chased in the final day to secure a nine-wicket win.

India have enforced follow-on 41 times in Test cricket

The Men in Blue have had to bat only thrice in the fourth innings across the 41 instances where they have enforced the follow-on. Team India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate had claimed after the day's play on Sunday that there was a discussion regarding the follow-on with a 270-run lead.

“There was a discussion to bat. Obviously, those last two wickets took a little bit longer than we would have hoped for. It probably started going towards the fact where you do look to bat again, but we felt 275 was a good lead. We thought the wicket was going to keep deteriorating. We thought by ending the WI innings, the worst was over. But it just seems to have slowed down even more," the coach said (via NDTV).

West Indies have looked relatively comfortable at the crease on Day 4 so far despite erratic and inconsistent bounce making a presence. Opening batter John Campbell recorded his first Test hundred as the second innings score inches closer to the 200-run mark.