India arrived for Day 5 action of the first Test vs England in Leeds as firm favourites, as at the start of the day the hosts needed 350 runs to win the match. However, Ben Duckett (105*), scored a brilliant hundred and received some crucial support from Zak Crawley (59*) to take England’s total to 181 without loss, with 55 overs still to go in the day and only 190 runs remaining to win the match. But just when India was about to lose all hope, the rain arrived in Leeds with heavy intensity, bringing an impromptu halt to the match and possibly saving the game for the visitors. But is this the miracle India were looking for? Only time will tell.
Hourly weather update of Headingley, Leeds
Currently, it is raining heavily in Leeds, and if the weather report from AccuWeather is accurate, players are unlikely to get any relief anytime soon. The rain is expected to pick up even more pace from 4 PM local time (8:30 PM IST), with precipitation chances increasing to 56% from 52% at the moment. The intensity of the rain is expected to slow down a little at 5 PM local time (9:30 PM IST), coming down to 40%, and even lower to 24% at 6 PM local time (10:30 PM IST). So, if this forecast holds, it is unlikely that any clear winner can be decided in the match, as the game may head towards a draw.
India’s bowling Struggles on a Flat Surface
Deep Dasgupta pointed out the challenges India’s bowlers faced on a sluggish pitch under dull weather conditions. He praised Prasidh Krishna for moments of quality but criticised the lack of consistency. Dasgupta highlighted how both Prasidh and Shardul Thakur offered boundary balls too frequently, a result of limited red-ball experience. He stressed that success in white-ball formats doesn’t automatically translate into effective Test bowling, particularly on unresponsive surfaces.
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Gill’s Captaincy: Defensive or Calculated?
Manjrekar also analysed Shubman Gill’s captaincy, defending his field settings as part of a boundary-denial strategy aimed at building pressure rather than chasing wickets aggressively. He contrasted Gill’s approach with that of Virat Kohli, who might have taken a more attacking stance. While acknowledging that some field placements—especially against Jadeja—appeared preemptively defensive, Manjrekar urged patience with Gill, reminding viewers that he is still new to the role and learning the ropes.
