India vs New Zealand 1st Test, Bengaluru weather update: Will rain save Rohit Sharma and Co., deny 36-year first to NZ?

Day 4 in Chinnaswamy was when the pendulum swung both ends amid an hour-long rain delay in the afternoon. If, at one point it seemed the pair of Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant would have ensured an Eden-esque escape for India, three days after the team was folded for a historic low of just 46, the hosts lost the momentum moments after New Zealand took the second new ball, to inflict a second batting collapse in the opening Test match of the three-game series. William O’Rourke and Matt Henry picked three wickets each India collapsed from 408-4 to 462 all out, leaving New Zealand with just 107 runs to win.

On Day 5 in Bengaluru, India will be hoping for a miraculous escape to ensure a more comfortable qualification for the World Test Championship final, via a home-series clean sweep, while New Zealand, in a more advantageous situation, will be aiming for their first-ever Test win on Indian soil in 36 years and third overall. But there is also the weather factor.

What is the rain forecast for Day 5 in Bengaluru?

Weather has played a crucial role in the opening Test so far, having washed out the entire first day without a ball being bowled. Although Bengaluru witnessed a clear sunny sky on the next two days, the conditions remained overcast throughout Saturday, before the rain forced an early Lunch on Day 5. The dark clouds over the Chinnaswamy stadium also caused early stumps due to poor light, which had left captain Rohit Sharma and former skipper Virat Kohli furious at the umpire.

According to Accuweather, there is 51 per cent chance of rain at 9 AM in Bengaluru, which is 15 minutes before the scheduled start, and it rises to 55 per cent at 3 PM. However, the probability drops to 39 per cent 4 PM and 33 at 5 PM. Overall, the website reads: ‘mostly cloudy with a thunderstorm.’