Rahul Dravid has acquired a welcome reputation (in my view anyways) of being quite forthright with the press. He pays his dues and says the usual politically correct stuff most of the time. But whenever India have done very well or very poorly, he seems to tire of the criticism and the commentary and uses his position as India Captain to put some things right.
His reaction to criticism and comment about the follow on, mainly from the general public (as Atherton said), was wonderfully balanced. Most experienced judges, and most tellingly the opposing captain agreed with Dravid’s decision to not enforce the follow on. It was a responsible call – the sort that distinguishes the grass roots leader from the idealistic ideologue. Andrew Miller of Cricinfo made the point in Cricinfo’s ball by ball commentary when England were about 320/5 late on the 5th day that “this is where England might have been – just past India’s score with 5 wickets gone had India enforced the follow on yesterday”. He missed the point by ignoring the series situation. Even if England could have made 120 runs for their last 5 wickets (and even with a rested Indian attack bowling on a 5th day pitch, they were going quite well inspite of the fact that Prior was under pressure), it might have been tricky in the 4th innings.
If England had been rolled over in their first innings in less than 65-70 overs, India might well have enforced the follow on. That is the essence of the follow on. First and foremost it is about saying “we are so far ahead, that we should really let you bat again, and then chase down whatever you leave us”. Being “so far ahead” is a tricky judgement to make. Having batted for 170 overs and then having fielded for 103 is completely different from batting for 130 overs and then fielding for 60. The latter situation might invite the follow on more often than the former, simply for endurance reasons. Dravid’s reference to “knowing his dressing room” and “knowing his bowlers” was significant. At Multan in 2004, in far more oppressive conditions, he had successfully enforced the follow on despite being a bowler short.
There are many things which a captain must take into account. His judgement about his bowlers, the quality of the wicket, the quality of the opposition batting among other things go into such a decision.
I just wonder what Rahul Dravid would say to those armchair critics who were hoping that he wouldn’t enforce the follow on 
