However a study of subsequent matches after the ones in which follow-on was enforced reveals a very interesting fact.
For this we have eliminated the last match of the series from our study for the simple reason that opposition does not have any chance to take revenge.
This leaves us with 51 occasions when Australia imposed the follow-on while series were still alive.
Of these 51 instances, 42 Tests were won by Australia, three by opponents. Six Tests ended in draw.
What happened in the next Test? While Australia still won 23, opposition managed to bounce back and win on 13 occasions. Remaining 15 matches ended in draw.
The details are given in the following table:
Series | Venue | Winner | Winner Next Test | ||
1882-83 | Melbourne | Aus | 9 wickets | Eng | Inn. & 27 runs |
1894-95 | Sydney | Eng | 10 runs | Eng | 94 runs |
1894-95 | Sydney | Aus | Inn. & 147 runs | Eng | 6 wickets |
1896 | Old Trafford | Aus | 3 wickets | Eng | 66 runs |
1897-98 | Melbourne | Aus | Inn. & 55 runs | Aus | Inn. & 13 runs |
1897-98 | Adelaide | Aus | Inn. & 13 runs | Aus | 8 wickets |
1897-98 | Melbourne | Aus | 8 wickets | Aus | 6 wickets |
1910-11 | Sydney | Aus | Inn. & 114 runs | Aus | 89 runs |
1912 | Old Trafford | Aus | Inn. & 88 runs | drawn | |
1920-21 | Melbourne | Aus | Inn. & 91 runs | Aus | 119 runs |
1921-22 | Johannesburg | drawn | Aus | 10 wickets | |
1926 | Headingley | drawn | drawn | ||
1930 | Headingley | drawn | drawn | ||
1930-31 | Sydney | Aus | Inn. & 172 runs | Aus | Inn. & 217 runs |
1930-31 | Brisbane (Ex) | Aus | Inn. & 217 runs | Aus | Inn. & 122 runs |
1931-32 | Brisbane ('Gabba') | Aus | Inn. & 163 runs | Aus | Inn. & 155 runs |
1935-36 | Cape Town | Aus | Inn. & 78 runs | Aus | Inn. & 184 runs |
1946-47 | Brisbane ('Gabba') | Aus | Inn. & 332 runs | Aus | Inn. & 33 runs |
1947-48 | Brisbane ('Gabba') | Aus | Inn. & 226 runs | drawn | |
1947-48 | Adelaide | Aus | Inn. & 16 runs | Aus | Inn. & 177 runs |
1949-50 | Ellis Park | Aus | Inn. & 85 runs | Aus | 8 wickets |
1949-50 | Cape Town | Aus | 8 wickets | Aus | 5 wickets |
1954-55 | Brisbane ('Gabba') | Aus | Inn. & 154 runs | Eng | 38 runs |
1954-55 | Kingston | Aus | 9 wickets | drawn | |
1957-58 | Cape Town | Aus | Inn. & 141 runs | drawn | |
1957-58 | Johannesburg | Aus | 10 wickets | Aus | 8 wickets |
1958-59 | Adelaide | Aus | 10 wickets | Aus | 9 wickets |
1959-60 | Madras (Corp) | Aus | Inn. & 55 runs | drawn | |
1960-61 | Melbourne | Aus | 7 wickets | WI | 222 runs |
1965-66 | Brisbane ('Gabba') | drawn | drawn | ||
1966-67 | Cape Town | Aus | 6 wickets | SAf | 8 wickets |
1973-74 | Melbourne | Aus | Inn. & 25 runs | drawn | |
1975 | Edgbaston | Aus | Inn. & 85 runs | drawn | |
1975 | The Oval | drawn | Aus | 8 wickets | |
1981 | Headingley | Eng | 18 runs | Eng | 29 runs |
1982-83 | Adelaide | Aus | 8 wickets | Eng | 3 runs |
1983-84 | Perth | Aus | Inn. & 9 runs | drawn | |
1987-88 | Perth | Aus | Inn. & 108 runs | Pak | Inn. & 188 runs |
1989 | Trent Bridge | Aus | Inn. & 180 runs | drawn | |
1992-93 | Christchurch | Aus | Inn. & 60 runs | drawn | |
1993 | Lord's | Aus | Inn. & 62 runs | drawn | |
1993 | Headingley | Aus | Inn. & 148 runs | Aus | 8 wickets |
1993-94 | Hobart BO | Aus | Inn. & 222 runs | Aus | Inn. & 96 runs |
1994-95 | Rawalpindi | drawn | drawn | ||
1995-96 | Brisbane ('Gabba') | Aus | Inn. & 126 runs | Aus | 155 runs |
1995-96 | Melbourne | Aus | 10 wickets | Aus | 148 runs |
2000-01 | Calcutta | Ind | 171 runs | Ind | 2 wickets |
2001-02 | Johannesburg | Aus | Inn. & 360 runs | Aus | 4 wickets |
2002-03 | Melbourne | Aus | 5 wickets | Eng | 225 runs |
2002-03 | Bridgetown | Aus | 9 wickets | WI | 3 wickets |
2003-04 | Perth | Aus | Inn. & 175 runs | Aus | 9 wickets |