IND vs ENG 2nd Test: India ended Day 1 of the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford on a solid note, reaching 264/4 after 83 overs of intense play. Yashasvi Jaiswal and debutant Sai Sudharsan were the standout performers, both registering well-crafted half-centuries on a pitch offering variable bounce and movement.
Sudharsan, in particular, impressed with his composure, scoring 61 runs off 151 balls. His innings, marked by seven boundaries, came in challenging conditions and provided crucial stability in the middle order.
Overcast Conditions, But No Day 1 Rain Delay
In what was a relief for both players and fans, Day 1 saw no rain interruptions despite concerns over the weather. The skies remained cloudy for the most part, creating tricky batting conditions, but cricket went on uninterrupted for the entire day.
Rishabh Pant Injury Raises Concerns
The only major setback for India came when wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant sustained an injury during play and was taken for scans. While the extent of his injury is yet to be confirmed, his absence could impact India’s middle-order plans and their balance in the field.
Fans were treated to a full 83 overs of action, which was especially satisfying considering the pre-match anxiety about a possible washout.
IND vs ENG, Weather Forecast for Day 2: Rain Looms Large
The forecast for Day 2 in Manchester is mixed. According to Accuweather, sunshine is expected to dominate for large parts of the day, but there’s a 50% to 30% chance of rain between 10 AM and 2 PM local time (7:30 PM IST onwards).
The UK Met Office further reports that heavier rain may affect the first session, but conditions are likely to improve post-lunch, with rain probabilities dropping below 10% by 3 PM. Overcast skies, however, are expected to persist throughout the day.
Sai Sudharsan Reflects on His Resilient Knock
Speaking at the post-day press conference, Sai Sudharsan detailed the difficulty of batting in such challenging conditions.
“There was variable bounce and the ball was doing a bit throughout the day. It was overcast, so the bowlers always had something going,” Sai said.
“I played a bit tighter, tried to leave balls outside off, and waited for the right opportunities. The focus was on spending time at the crease.”
The 22-year-old’s innings demonstrated maturity well beyond his years and came at a time when India desperately needed a partnership to steady the innings after early jitters.
India, trailing 1-2 in the five-match series, will hope to build on their Day 1 platform and post a competitive first-innings total. With weather likely to intervene during the first half of Day 2, it remains to be seen how much play is possible. Nonetheless, if the sun does break through as predicted later in the day, India will look to capitalize and potentially level the series 2-2 heading into the final Test.