After rain abandoned the fifth day’s play of the opening Test at Trent Bridge, England skipper Joe Root said his bowlers could have created opportunities if they had a shot at the Indian batters for at least 40 overs.

As a result of the washed-out final day, the Test match ended in a draw. Chasing 209 in the fourth innings, the visitors were 51/2 at the close of play on Day 4 with Rohit Sharma (12*) and Cheteshwar Pujara (12*) unbeaten in the middle.

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“I think from our perspective, at one stage, we could have potentially 40 overs, in that period, (I) felt like we would have been able to create many chances on surface like that,” Root said at the post-match press conference.

“So in many ways actually, the weather has robbed us all, of a fantastic final day’s Test cricket, which is shame,” he added.

While Root admitted that India were in driver’s seat with 158 runs needed on the last day, he also feels the game could have turned on its head on the surface which was used.

“India were probably in the driver’s seat going in today. We know on a wicket like that, get a couple of wickets across that, the game can turn on its head,” the England captain said.

“The pressures of batting on the fifth day wicket, things can very quickly (could) have fallen in our favour. We certainly believed that we would have been able to create normal chances if we had been good enough in the field and taken those, could have been exciting, fortunately the weather has won,” he further remarked.

Opting to bat first, England got bowled out for 183 in the first innings and then conceded a significant lead of 95 runs to the tourists.

In the second essay, however, the hosts batted reasonably well, posting 303 on the board mainly thanks to Joe Root’s sublime 109 – his 21st Test ton.

 According to Root, his team “grew into the game very well” and 250 on that wicket was a strong first innings score and it would have made life a lot “trickier for India”.

The second game of the five-Test series will be played at the iconic Lord’s from August 12.

(With PTI inputs)