How late can play continue on Day 5 of India-England Test after rain delay?

Rain offered a timely lifeline to the Shubman Gill-led Indian side on the final day of the first Test between India and England as the hosts appeared to be closing in on a comfortable win at Headingley. England openers had put up a commanding partnership, and momentum was clearly with the home team when a light drizzle began to fall shortly after lunch. As conditions deteriorated, the umpires called for an early lunch break.

Following a delay of around 20 minutes, play resumed under overcast skies, and India struck almost immediately. Prasidh Krishna provided the much-needed breakthrough, dismissing Zak Crawley and injecting fresh life into the contest. With that wicket, the balance of the match shifted once again, setting up a tense finish. Amid the rain-affected drama, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) issued an official update on social media, informing fans about the revised session timings for Day 5.

Rain 🌧️ stops, play resumes.

No overs have been lost.

Updated Session Timings:

Tea Break: 04.30 PM Local Time (09.00 PM IST)

Third Session: 04.50 PM-06.20 PM Local Time (09.20 PM-10.50 PM IST)

Updates ▶️ #TeamIndia | #ENGvIND

— BCCI (@BCCI) June 24, 2025

Revised session timings

Due to the earlier interruption, the day’s play was extended by 20 minutes. The final delivery is now scheduled to be bowled at 10:50 PM IST (6:20 PM local time).

Tea Break: 4:30 PM local time (9:00 PM IST)
Final Session: 4:50 PM – 6:20 PM local time (9:20 PM – 10:50 PM IST)

Should rain interrupt play again before 10:00 PM IST, the match could be extended even further, similar to what occurred on Day 2, when stumps were taken as late as 11:43 PM IST. In contrast, Day 3 witnessed no such extension, as the drizzle intensified after 10:30 PM IST and conditions did not permit further play.

The final day was initially structured with the following sessions: