India players out enjoying downtime in Manchester. (PC: Rohit Juglan) What did not happen in Belfast happened in Durham. Heavy rain had been forecast in Belfast, yet both matches against Ireland went ahead without interruption.

However, the dark clouds followed the team from Ireland to England. Not only were there overcast skies, but persistent rain eventually led to the abandonment of the first T20I. Before the rain arrived, the Indian supporters were treated to half-centuries from Shreyas Iyer and Abhishek Sharma.

Such is the passion and dedication of the fans that many waited outside the ground just to catch a glimpse of the team as they departed. Thursday was a travel day for Team India. The squad travelled by coach from Durham to Manchester ahead of the second T20I.

As is the norm on most UK tours, the team has largely travelled by road, taking a coach from Dublin to Belfast before making the journey from Durham to Manchester. Rain is once again forecast on match day at Old Trafford, and only time will tell whether the weather also washes out India’s only practice session. India surprisingly opted to bat first in overcast conditions in Durham.

Despite losing two early wickets, they posted a competitive total of over 180, courtesy of half-centuries from Shreyas Iyer and Abhishek Sharma. While the match was under way, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who was once again denied his debut, was seen having a hit in the nets. Then the rain arrived, forcing him to cut short his practice session.

A large group of Indian fans had gathered simply to catch a glimpse of the teenage sensation. That is the Vaibhav Sooryavanshi effect. His fanbase continues to grow, and the excitement surrounding him is reaching new heights.

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