To add to the residents’ woes, there is now a yellow heat warning in place for most of England, including Leeds, with temperatures predicted to hit 30*c sometime during the course of the first Test. The visitors, who have only played two Tests at Leeds this century (one innings defeat, one victory by an innings), could of course be mindful of this fact going into the Test. With not a lot of rain and abundant sunshine expected for at least part of the game, those are ideal conditions for the strip to lose its moisture.
Going by preliminary images from the famous old Stadium, there’s not a lot of difference between the playing strip and the outfield. But that’s to be expected three days out. The grass will receive a couple of substantial haircuts over the next few days.
Leeds, like several other grounds outside Asia, does favour the pacers to begin but becomes flatter as the match wears on. The last four innings totals here are 263 (from 4/85), 329 (from 4/83), 78 and 179. Unsurprisingly, all four first innings totals ended in losses as this ground is now increasingly recognised as batter to bat on later. England chased 251 in 2023, they chased 296 in 2022, they made 432 and India replied with 276 after their 78 but that wasn’t enough to make the hosts bat again in 2021. In 2019, there was of course that chase of 359 against Australia.
