Australia’s embarrassing series continues, asked to follow-on for first time in 31 years at home

Australia had played 172 consecutive home Tests without following-on before this SCG Test.

Inclement weather and a huge lead could have forced Indian captain Virat Kohli to take the decision which also marks the first time in 31 years that Australia have been asked to follow-on at home. @ Getty Images

Australian cricket achieved a new low on day four of the fourth and final Test against India at the SCG on Sunday when Virat Kohli asked the opposition to bat again after the hosts were bowled out for 300 to surrender a 322-run first innings lead.

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Inclement weather and a huge lead could have forced the Indian captain to take the decision which also marks the first time in 31 years that Australia have been asked to follow-on at home.

The last time such an incident happened was against England in Sydney in January 1988 during a one-off Test match. England had piled 425 runs before Australia were wrapped up for 214 and were asked to follow-on. David Boon’s valiant 184 salvaged a draw.

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Australia had played 172 consecutive home Tests without following-on before this SCG Test. It’s also been 150 Tests since Australia were forced to follow-on. The last time it happened was in the fourth match of the 2005 Ashes series in England at Nottingham. England had posted 477 and bowled out Australia for 218. The follow-on was enforced. Australia bounced back to register 387 in the second innings, but lost the match by three wickets.

Meanwhile, India have asked Australia to follow-on four times. The previous incident occurred in the 1986 New Year’s Test in Sydney. Before that, India had asked Australia to bat again during the 1979-80 home series in Delhi and Mumbai.

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Earlier, resuming their first innings score on the penultimate day at 236/6, India made quick inroads with Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah utilising the second new ball to good effect. Kuldeep Yadav stepped in and trapped Nathan Lyon for a duck as Australia lost three wickets for 22 runs in the space of 44 balls.

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Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc then engaged in a reargued effort to stitch 42 runs for the 10^th wicket, but Kuldeep dismissed Hazlewood for 21 as Australia reached 300 in what was a shoddy batting performance.