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Explained: How weather can spoil England's party against India in first Test at Leeds
Ahead of the opening day of the first Test between India and England in Headingley, we take a look at the weather in Leeds and how that will affect the plans of the two teams, especially the Ben Stokes-led hosts. read more
The Headingley Cricket Ground will host the first Test between England and India from 20 to 24 June. Reuters
The five-match Test series between India and England gets underway less than 24 hours from now with the opening day of the first Test set to take place in Headingley, Leeds on Friday. The upcoming series is set to be historic for multiple reasons, which includes the fact that the two teams are now playing for a brand new trophy.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), after all, had controversially decided to rename the Pataudi Trophy to the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy – named after English pace legend James Anderson and Indian batting icon Sachin Tendulkar – which will be presented to the winner of an India-England Test series regardless of which team plays as the host nation.
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The series will also be the first since batting stalwarts and iconic leaders Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli had announced their retirement from the format in the span of a week last month. With Shubman Gill having since been named Rohit's successor as Test captain on 24 May with Rishabh Pant as his deputy, India is set to witness the birth of a new era on Wednesday.
Last, but certainly not the least, Friday's play will mark the beginning of a new cycle in the ICC World Test Championship for both teams.
But what will the weather in Leeds be like for the series opener? And how will it affect England's plans of starting yet another home Test series on a strong note? Here's what you need to know:
How Leeds' weather is likely to influence the opening day of the first Test
BBC Weather has predicted a 'sunny' day in Leeds on Friday, the day the series gets underway, with a gentle breeze. The temperature is expected to rise as high as 30 degrees Celsius – warm for the Indian team and scorching for the Englishmen and those who will be in attendance at the venue.
If the last two days of the recently-concluded ICC WTC Final between South Africa and Australia are anything to go by, then Gill wouldn't mind having to bat first even though captains have traditionally leaned towards bowling first at this venue.
The Proteas had pulled off a historic five-wicket victory at the 'Home of Cricket' to win their maiden world title, and their triumph came not only on the back of a clinical bowling effort led by Kagiso Rabada, but also by their dominant response with the bat on Days 3 and 4 during their chase of a challenging 282-run target, led by Aiden Markram's majestic 136.
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Both South African and Australian speedsters had run amok early in the game as 28 wickets fell in the first two days. However, Markram and captain Temba Bavuma, who chipped in with a defiant 66, made the most of ideal batting conditions under bright sunshine in the British capital and ended up laying the foundation for a comfortable run chase with a 147-run partnership for the third wicket.
Now the wicket that has been prepared for the series opener at Headingley has a greenish tinge, and will aid seamers early in the game before gradually easing out. However, the overhead sun might make the wicket ease out much faster than expected, meaning whichever side bats first will have to survive the new ball spell before making the most of ideal batting conditions.
India certainly have the firepower in their pace department to seize advantage by inflicting early damage if it's Ben Stokes who ends up opting to bat on Day 1. However, if it's the other way round, the English pacers might have a hard time on the opening day. Especially in the absence of James Anderson and Stuart Broad. And even without Virat Kohli in the Indian batting lineup.
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The remaining days of the Test will likely be played under traditional overcast conditions with 'thundery showers' predicted on the second day, meaning there will be a lot more support on offer for swing bowling. Capitalising on the opening day thus will be paramount for both teams.
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