India’s push for a series-levelling victory on the final day of the second Test against England in Birmingham finally got underway after a rain delay of more than ninety minutes. Resuming in bright sunshine at 12:40 pm local time, India found themselves in a commanding position, with England reeling at 72 for 3 and still requiring an improbable 536 runs to achieve what would be a record fourth-innings chase of 608.

Play was initially scheduled to begin at 11:00 am, but a heavy downpour just 20 minutes before the start left the Edgbaston outfield dotted with puddles, despite the pitch and square being well protected. The loss of the first 10 overs reduced the day’s quota from 90 to 80, slightly narrowing the window for India to capture the remaining seven wickets.

This Test has so far been a personal triumph for India’s young captain Shubman Gill. On Saturday, the 25-year-old etched his name into the record books by becoming the first player in Test history to score both a double century and a 150 in the same match. Gill’s sublime 269 in the first innings laid the foundation for India’s imposing total of 587 after England captain Ben Stokes had opted to bowl first.