India's prospects at Edgbaston may go for a toss if rain gods aren't kind enough – Weather deets inside

India stands on the brink of a series-levelling victory in the second Test against England at Edgbaston, but weather may yet play a decisive role. With England needing a daunting 608 runs for victory—an unprecedented target in Test history—India’s hopes of squaring the series 1-1 hinge on both maintaining pressure and getting enough playtime on the final day.

Shubman Gill has emerged as the star of the match, making history by becoming the first player to score both a double century and a 150+ score in the same Test. He followed up his first-innings 267 with a commanding 161 off just 162 balls in the second innings. His efforts led India to declare at 427-6 on Day 4, setting England a near-impossible target.

The English batting line-up struggled under the pressure and against India’s disciplined bowling. Mohammed Siraj and Akash Deep shone with the new ball yet again. Siraj removed Zak Crawley for a duck, while Deep claimed the vital wickets of Ben Duckett and Joe Root with sharp deliveries that exploited the conditions expertly.

However, the weather in Birmingham could still prove to be a spoiler. According to the UK Met Office, rain is expected on Sunday morning, with a 50% to 30% chance of showers between 10 am and 2 pm local time. These early interruptions may delay play and could freshen up the pitch, making it more conducive for seamers. Encouragingly for India, rain chances diminish significantly post-lunch, falling below 10% after 3 pm.

At stumps on Day 4, England was precariously placed at 72-3, still needing 536 more runs—an unlikely feat given the highest successful fourth-innings chase in Test history is 418. Despite England’s aggressive ‘Bazball’ approach, a win from here would be extraordinary.

With India in a commanding position and time being the only major threat, Day 5 promises high drama—provided the weather allows for enough overs to be bowled.