Rain Delays Last Day Of Intriguing England-India 1st Test

Cricket Image for Rain Delays Last Day Of Intriguing England-India 1st Test (Image Source: AFP)

ENG v IND: Rain delayed the scheduled 11:00 am local time (3:30 PM IST) start of the last day's play in the first Test between England and India at Trent Bridge on Sunday.

The match was in the balance, with India 52-1 in their second innings and needing a further 157 runs to reach a victory target of 209 in what promised to be tough batting conditions.

Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara were both 12 not out after recalled opener KL Rahul, who made 84 in India's first innings 278, was caught behind off Stuart Broad for 26.

That India faced a tricky chase was largely down to England captain Joe Root making 109 in his side's second innings 303 after he had top-scored with 64 in their first-innings 183, which featured four ducks as the hosts suffered yet another top-order collapse.

Jasprit Bumrah took 5-64 -- the sixth five-wicket haul in his 21 Tests -- to finish with impressive match figures of 9-110.

This match, much of which has taken place in overcast conditions favouring fast bowlers, was just the second instance of India's pace bowlers taking all 20 of the opposition's wickets in a Test.

The only other occasion was at Johannesburg in 2018 when Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma and Mohammed Shami shared the wickets.

India, who defeated Root's men 3-1 at home earlier this year, are bidding for just their third win in 15 Tests in England and only their fourth series success on English soil to follow their 1971, 1986 and 2007 triumphs.

This match also marks the start of the new World Test Championship cycle, with India having lost to New Zealand in the inaugural final at Southampton in June.