India vs England 5th Test Day 5: Will Rain Spoil Nail-Biting Finish of the Series?

With the series on the line, the Oval Test heads into its final day under threat of rain raising questions of whether the weather will have the last word on the highly anticipated decider.

August 4, 2025: The highly anticipated final day of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy between England and India is about to begin at The Oval in Kennington, London. Everyone will be watching the sky as well as the pitch. England needs just 35 more runs to win, while the Indian team needs a miracle to get back in the series. They need four quick wickets to tie the series in a dramatic way.

The exciting and rather contentious end to Day 4 has only made people more excited for today’s game. A late rain shower, followed by what seemed like enough dry time and sunlight, had many people ponder if the match could have ended right then and there. The weather will definitely have a big factor in the outcome as the tour begins its 25th day of action.

The weather in Kennington, South London, has been rather cold and miserable this week, with dark sky and rain that comes and goes. These conditions have always made it hard to play cricket for long periods of time. There have already been a few rain delays on Day 4, so both teams will be cautiously watching the skies. If there is a lot of cloud cover, it might make it very hard for the batsmen to deal with the second new ball.

Early Hours: A Break for England

BBC Weather says that the first few hours of play on Day 5 should be dry over Kennington. Forecasts say there won’t be any rain and simply a few clouds. England’s batsmen will be quite happy with these good conditions, which will make them feel better after a tough last 45 minutes on Day 4. The hosts should be able to make solid headway toward their goal during this clean time.

Noon Onwards: India’s Time of Hope?

But the weather is expected to change about midday on Day 5. It looks like darker clouds may collect, and there is a 19% chance of rain, which isn’t much but could be important. India will be quite eager for these cloudy skies to come as soon as possible. Because Jamie Smith has been hitting aggressively in this series, a shift in light and conditions could work in India’s favor, giving their bowlers a chance to take advantage of the situation and finish things off fast.

There is a better risk of rain later in the day, starting at 2 PM local time. However, it is commonly believed that the match will be over by the time that afternoon session starts, since only a few runs and wickets are needed.

In short, the rain itself may not be the deciding factor on this last day, but the changing look of the skies and the quantity of natural light available could very well determine who wins this exciting Test match.