India Test captain Shubman Gill has given a point-to-point explanation of why he ordered the follow-on in the second Test against West Indies at Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi — an action that created a mixed reaction among followers. Though India went on to seal a 2-0 series win with a seven-wicket victory, the ploy caused eyeballs to roll, as ordering a follow-on has become a rare spectacle in modern Test cricket. Having won the toss, Gill decided to bat first on a flat batting-friendly pitch. The Indian top order capitalized on the conditions as Yashasvi Jaiswal continued his magnificent form by scoring 175 runs. Sai Sudharsan contributed a tranquil 87, while captain Gill steadied the ship with an unbeaten 129. Their contribution helped India reach a dominant 518/5 before the declaration arrived late on Day 2. In reply, the West Indies could not build alliances. With some initial resistance from Alick Athanaze, though, the tourists collapsed for 248. With a significant 273-run lead, India could have batted again and extended the lead. Instead, however, Gill took many people by surprise by requiring the opposition to follow on a move that drew controversy both within the commentary booth and in the online fanbase. Current captains have tended to shun applying follow-ons in favor of resting bowlers and mounting a huge fourth-innings score. Indian fast bowlers, who bowled over 80 overs in the first innings, many fans believed, deserved time to recover. Critics wanted to know whether the decision was too risky in light of the bowling unit's workload. The gamble did not pay rich dividends as Windies displayed the fightback. The visitors continued to score 390, leaving India with a target of 121 runs. Opener John Campbell (115) and middle-order batsman Shai Hope (103) excelled with the bat. Both stars blasted huge centuries and defied a high-class bowling attack of India. Although, India easily overcame the challenge by chasing down the target on Day 5 with 7 wickets left in hand. Also Read | NSW cricketer Joel Davies reported for crotch-chop gesture Shubman Gill Clarifies Decision to Enforce Follow-On Following the victory, Gill justified that the choice was match situation and time management-oriented. He said that with India already almost 300 runs ahead, batting second might have made the last day tricky, as they would have had to get six or seven wickets under pressure towards the end of Day 5. But by following on, India maintained the advantage, making the most of the confidence and enthusiasm of their bowlers and hitting back straight away. Gill highlighted that when the momentum in the team is good, one should push for a conclusive outcome instead of letting the game go astray, demonstrating proactive and aggressive leadership style. Here is what Gill said during the post-match presentation: “We were almost 300 runs ahead. We thought if we batted again and had to chase wickets late on Day 5, it could make things difficult. We wanted to stay on the front foot and finish the game early. The bowlers were confident and wanted another go right away. When the energy is high, it’s better to attack than let the game drift,” said Gill during the post-match presentation.