IND vs ENG 1st Test: Will rain halt India's perfect start at Headingley?

The weather reports of Leeds suggest heavy rainfall with thunderstorms from 7:30 PM IST (3 PM local) to the rest of the night on Saturday

The Indian cricket team kicked off their new era of Test cricket without senior stars like Kohli and Rohit, under the leadership of Shubman Gill, in the five-match Test series against England in style. On the first day of the first Test at Headingley, Leeds, the visitors put on their best-ever first-day score of 359 for 3 in England, surpassing their previous record of 338 at Edgbaston in 2022. Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (101) and skipper Shubman Gill (127 not out) were India’s top stars on the day with brilliant centuries to put England under pressure early in the game. India will now look to continue their momentum on Day 2 of the Test on Saturday, June 21, but there may be a slight hiccup as the early weather forecast of Leeds for Saturday shows heavy rain throughout the day. 

IND vs ENG 1st Test: Leeds weather report for June 21

According to the latest weather reports from AccuWeather.com for Leeds, United Kingdom, the day will begin with a partly sunny morning, with little to no chance of rain until 5:30 PM IST (1 PM local). However, the chance of precipitation increases from 8% at 5:30 PM IST (1 PM local) to 73% by 6:30 PM IST (2 PM local).

 

The forecast further predicts heavy rainfall with thunderstorms starting around 7:30 PM IST (3 PM local), continuing into the night. With humidity hovering around 65% and wind speeds near 18 kph, fans should brace for significant rain interruptions during the third session of play.

Bowlers to get help on Day 2

While Day 1 of the Test belonged completely to the batters, with the overcast weather and high wind speeds, pacers are expected to get extra help on Day 2 of the first Test. With India already having a decent total on the board, England might fancy themselves a chance to remove the Indian wickets quickly with some assistance from the weather. But they will also have to be vigilant, as India have a seasoned pace attack in their midst, which could cause trouble for the English batting line-up.