After a rain-free start to Day 1 of India’s tour of England, the weather is set to play a significant role at Headingley on Saturday, June 21. Day 1 of the Leeds Test saw hot and dry conditions, with Shubman Gill’s India enjoying a gala time with the bat.
The England fast bowlers failed with their lines and lengths on Day 1 of the game, resulting in India scoring 359 runs for the loss of three wickets. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal and captain Shubman Gill scored centuries, while vice-captain Rishabh Pant hit a flair-filled 65-run knock.
That kind of tempo might be difficult to sustain on Day 2 at Leeds as conditions might remain overcast through the day. While it is expected that the play will start on time on Day 2, the rain clouds might gradually take over through the day.
Rain is expected throughout the day at Headingley. The morning and afternoon sessions expect 7.6 mm of rainfall, but it is unlikely that the start of play will be affected by rain. Cloud cover is expected through the day, which might help the new Dukes seam a little bit more than usual.
Courtesy: Accuweather
The probability of rainfall stands at 88 percent in the final session of play, with rain set to come down between 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. local time. This might not only help the seamers but might close the day early as well. There is a thundershower warning as per accuweather, which also might bring the day to an early closure, just like it did in India A games at the start of the tour.
Courtesy: Accuweather
India’s Batting Show at Leeds
India put in an incredible batting show on Day 1 at Leeds. After being sent to bat first, India made full use of the flat track and England’s poor bowling and racked up massive runs at the end of day’s play.
With the overhead conditions being dry and hot, the England bowlers struggled to control the flow of runs as Yashasvi Jaiswal took the attack in his first Test on English shores. After Jaiswal’s dismissal, the scene to take India to a big total on Day 1.
Leeds, which was expected to be a seam-friendly track, turned out to be an absolute belter to bat on Day 1. The chief pitch curator at Headingley had expected the pitch to help the seamers on the first two days and then eventually flatten out. But as it turned out on Day 1, the pitch was flat from the start of the innings.
Day 2 is expected to play the same way as well, unless the overhead conditions massively aid fast bowlers.