The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has advanced the time for the rescheduled fifth Test between the hosts and India at Edgbaston from 11:00am to 10:30am in order to accommodate the subcontinent viewers.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The match will commence on July 1.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
A report in Daily Mail said late on Saturday that the "official playing hours in Indian TV terms will now be 3-10pm", but the "likelihood remains that the close will be 10.30pm each night as half an hour's grace is given to teams to complete the allotment of 90 overs per day".<\/p>\r\n\r\n
England are currently playing a three-match Test series against New Zealand and play is starting at the usual 11am each day.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The report added that this could potentially be a disadvantage for the team batting first, given that the early morning dew tilts the balance between bat and ball "too far into the bowlers' favour".<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The fifth Test was suspended for nearly 10 months after several Covid-19 cases were reported in the India camp in September, following which most of the players had flown out for the Indian Premier League's Dubai leg.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
India are leading the series 2-1, but with England under a new leadership group that includes skipper Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, there is a feeling that the hosts will go all out for victory.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
After the drawn first Test last year, India went 1-0 up before England levelled the series in the third Test, winning by an innings and 76 runs. India then won the fourth Test to take a 2-1 lead.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Earlier on Sunday, the Indian cricket board informed that skipper Rohit Sharma had tested positive for Covid-19 and was in isolation at the team hotel.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Rohit had been participating in India's warm-up match against a Leicestershire XI at Uptonsteel County Ground, with the 35-year-old having made 25 in the opening innings of the match on Thursday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n