Dharamsala is beautiful but will likely be cold and wet at the start of the fifth Test. Photo: Manjunath Kiran/AFP/Getty Images
England's tour of India risks ending in farcical fashion with worsening weather forecasts suggesting the fifth Test could be abandoned by wet snow and played in temperatures of just one degree Celsius.
The England team regrouped in Chandigarh on Saturday. a night where some members of the group spent the last few days in Bangalore playing golf. On Sunday morning they head north to Dharamsala, site of the final test in the Himalayas.
They will likely be greeted by alpine conditions, with bitter cold in the air and rain. The winter months are still underway in Dharamsala, with the BBC forecast for the first day of testing on Thursday predicting sleet, a maximum temperature of 1C and an overnight minimum temperature of -4C. Other forecasts are more optimistic, but conditions will at best be similar to those in England at the start of the season. The India Meteorological Bureau has forecast wet weather for the first two days.
Thousands of English fans flock to the game and Dharmashala's stunning views make it a favorite destination for cricket fans. The game will be a treat for the eyes, even if it would be wise to play it at this time of year in warmer countries further south.
Only one Test was played at the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association stadium. earlier, against Australia in 2017, later in March. A year ago, Australia were scheduled to play a Test at the stadium, but it was moved to Indore two weeks in advance due to fielding issues.
India held a comfortable 3-1 lead after the fourth Test in Ranchi, England. They have had a few days off.
They will return to training on Monday or Tuesday, with James Anderson, who is missing two of his 700 Test wickets, expected to be fit after a tight quad kept him out of the field. when India won in Ranchi. Mark Wood is likely to return in place of Ollie Robinson, while Gus Atkinson could be in contention for a Test debut if England decide conditions are so favorable that they only need one front-row player and are therefore not included Tom Hartley or Shoaib Bashir. However, Ben Stokes could return to bowling, eliminating the need for an extra seamer.
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