ENG vs IND 1st Test: Hourly weather report of Headingley, Leeds on June 23

Despite a cloudy morning in Leeds on Sunday, India failed to make the most of the situation, allowing England to keep the match finely balanced at 50-50 after Day 3

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India had a mixed outing on Day 3 of the first Test vs England at Headingley, Leeds, as despite having big runs in the bank and Bumrah’s historic five-wicket haul, they could only manage a 6-run lead in the first innings due to England’s Bazball approach in the latter stages. However, the Indian batters came out with the same intent in the second innings and added 90 runs for the loss of two wickets by the end of the day to take their overall lead to 96.

 

Now, with just two days to go and almost two full innings still to be played, the match is likely heading towards a draw, unless the cloudy weather in Leeds triggers another batting collapse on Monday. 

IND vs ENG 1st Test: Leeds weather report for June 23

According to the latest weather reports from AccuWeather.com for Leeds, United Kingdom, the day will begin with a partly sunny morning and a 20 percent chance of rain. However, the chances of rain drop to zero starting at 8 AM, just before the start of the match. While there is no prediction of rain post 9 AM, intermittent clouds can still pose the risk of impromptu showers any time during the day, given the unpredictable nature of England’s weather.

 

Rain is expected to resume from 7 PM, but with the match scheduled to end by 6:30 PM, even with extra time added, weather is not expected to be a concern for Day 4.

Batters’ day out on Day 4?

Despite having the reputation of being a batter’s graveyard, Headingley usually offers better batting conditions on the last two days of play, as many memorable run chases at this venue suggest, including Ben Stokes’ historic 135* to help England beat Australia in the 2019 Ashes.

 

If India need to save this match, they must put at least a 350-plus lead on the board; otherwise, the English side will fancy their chances of chasing it down in typical Bazball style.