Summary

Have your say on England men this summer

Live Reporting

by George O'Neill & Kal Sajad

  1. Goodbye

    So, the rain was the winner in Chester-le-Street this evening.

    Read Stephan Shemilt's report and scroll back through this page to relive the action that did take place.

    We'll be back tomorrow for England's semi-final against South Africa in the Women's T20 World Cup, while the second match in this England-India series is at Old Trafford on Saturday.

    Until then, ta-ra.

  2. Match abandoned

    Unfortunately the rain hasn't stopped and the first match of this T20 series has been abandoned before England's chase got under way.

  3. We will update you about a potential restart when we know more.

    Play needs to restart by 21:00 BST for the minimum five-over chase.

  4. Daniel Norcross
    Test Match Special commentator on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    We're starting to lose overs now. That happened at 19:53 BST. We reckon we need it to clear up by around 20:20 to get a game on.

  5. 🌧️

    Back to Durham, where it's hammering down.

  6. Sir Alastair Cook
    Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    I genuinely don't know which way they'll go. If Harry Brook got the job, tactically he's very good on the cricket side.

    The slight issue with the England captaincy is that it's not just about the cricketing side. You get thrown into tough situations. Not politics as such. but there is so much other stuff to deal with and I don't know how well Harry will cope with that. Maybe he will.

  7. Get Involved

    Click 'Get Involved' at the top of this page

    I feel like England aren’t going to improve until Rob Key leaves. He never really seemed qualified for the position to begin with

    Jamie, Leeds

    Extremely disappointed with the manner of the Stokes' retirement announcement. Mid-match, with everything still to play for. Time for a less flamboyant captain, I think, and that should not be Brook, in my view. Goodbye to Key also, and to the Bazball approach.

    Richard, Dublin

  8. Sir Alastair Cook
    Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    Whatever decision England make, it's about looking forward but also to rebuild from where they are.

    They are seventh in the World Championship and lost to a New Zealand side with a third string bowling attack.

  9. Daniel Norcross
    Test Match Special commentator on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    I don't think that if the rain stopped it would take long to clear up. It's not that kind of rain.

  10. Covers are still on at Chester-le-Street.

  11. Deep Dasgupta
    Former India wicketkeeper on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    Stokes' retirement was out of the blue for everyone, even the ECB, otherwise they would have had a succession plan in place.

    I understand why everyone is saying Harry Brook isn't ready, but if I'm looking at the England Test side, anyone else and it's going backwards a little.

    Keeping everything as is right now with Key and McCullum, it would be Brook to continue and take the team forward. He's the poster boy for Bazball.

    Being three-format captain would be a lot of pressure, but Tests and ODIs are a similar tempo with how England play. You could then find someone else to take over the T20 team.

  12. Get Involved

    Have your say using 'Get Involved' button

    Feel free to chip in and send us your thoughts on the Test captaincy and situation at large.

  13. Sir Alastair Cook
    Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    We've always been incredibly lucky with the support England have.

    This is the first time I've really felt this wave of people being upset at what they see.

    It's harsh to put everything on Harry Brook. I don't think it's just him I was getting this sense of anger from. It's the overall package.

    Fans feel this has gone on too long - the same mistakes again and again.

  14. Weather watch

    Here's the forecast.

    It doesn't look great...

    Weather forecast showing rain throughout the evening

  15. Daniel Norcross
    Test Match Special commentator on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

    I don't know one way or the other whether Key and McCullum will be in place come August.

    There has been a massive amount of turmoil in the past few weeks.

    There is a lot of anger, an increasing amount of irritation at the current leadership.

    When you only turn up for the second half of the Ashes, you look at who organised that tour, the coaches and the players.

    Given this turmoil, it makes me think whether the ECB feel they can select a captain yet, because they don't know who will be their coach or director of cricket.

    Often it doesn't happen that it's just the captain who goes.

  16. Sir Alastair Cook
    Ex-England captain on BBC Test Match Special

    I think it's up in the air.

    I don't want to sit on the fence, but what I do think is strange is that we've had nothing from the ECB hierarchy about anything.

    We've heard zero over the past two weeks apart from two managed interviews from Brendan McCullum and Rob Key.

    Until there is some clarification about whether they are going to keep McCullum, it's really hard to talk about Harry Brook and the captaincy.

    You've got to have the coach before you pick the next captain.

  17. While we wait for the rain to stop, the TMS team are discussing the uncertainty surrounding the England Test side in the wake of Ben Stokes' retirement.

  18. Jem Green
    CricViz data analyst

    England are going to have to break the record for their highest successful chase against India in this format if they are to win this opening fixture. England’s current highest successful chase against India was back in 2012 when they reached the target of 178 in Mumbai.

  19. Thanks, Kal.

    It does look pretty grim at Chester-le-Street, but let's hope it clears and the chase starts soon...

  20. Kal Sajad
    BBC Sport

    Well, Chris, my TV pictures tell a different story. I'll hand you all over to George O'Neill to tell you more about this rain and take you through to the end.