India captain Virat Kohli said his side had the "right template" for the remainder of their "blockbuster" series against England after enjoying the better of a rain-marred draw in the first Test.
The tourists were frustrated in their bid to go 1-0 up in a five-match contest when rain washed out the whole of Sunday's last day at Trent Bridge, with India stranded on 52-1 in pursuit of a victory target of 209.
By that stage, however, they had already dismissed the hosts for just 183 after England captain Joe Root won the toss.
And but for Root making 64 in that lowly first-innings total and 109 in England's second innings 303, India might well have won a match where more than two days' play was lost to bad weather.
Jasprit Bumrah led an impressive display by India's four-man pace attack, with a match haul of 9-110 while recalled opener KL Rahul (84) and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, whose first-innings 56 came after he had been preferred as a specialist spinner after Ravichandran Ashwin, was dropped made valuable runs.
"Most likely it will be a template going ahead in the series," Kohli, speaking at the presentation ceremony, said of an XI that featured an extra seamer compared to the two spinners India deployed in a World Test Championship final loss to New Zealand at Southampton in June.
"But again adaptability has been a strength of ours as well," added the star batsman, out for a golden duck to James Anderson in Nottingham, ahead of the second Test at Lord's starting on Thursday.
"This looks like the right template for us moving forward."
Kohli, whose side beat Root's men 3-1 in India earlier this year, insisted: "It is going to be an exciting series to watch and be part of. India-England is always a blockbuster so expect a lot of exciting cricket."
- 'On top of the game' -
Reflecting on events at Trent Bridge, the 32-year-old Kohli, looking to lead India to just their fourth series win in England, said: "We thought we were in a good position to have a crack at the target. And would have been a really nice, interesting day of Test cricket, would have been enjoyable to watch and certainly enjoyable to be part of. So, yeah, it's a shame that weather prevailed in the end.
"This is exactly what we wanted to do: we wanted to start strong. Heading to day five we had our chances right in front of us.
"We certainly felt like we were on top of the game. We bowled well enough and batted well enough to stay in the contest and then getting that lead (India were 95 runs ahead on first innings) was crucial which kept us on top throughout the game."
England, without Ben Stokes to bail them out now the star all-rounder is taking an indefinite break from cricket, endured more top-order misery barely disguised by player of the match Root's two innings.
The England skipper's 21st Test hundred came after he walked into bat at 46-2 -- the 14th time in 18 innings this year they had failed to reach 50 before losing their second wicket, with the team's fallible close catching another ongoing concern.
"There are still certain areas we want to get better at," said Root. "Obviously, we want to score more runs at the top of the order and take all the chances we create.
"But Test cricket challenges you, you've got to keep a strong character and keep turning up every day trying to get better."
Forum brings UK and Chinese film professionals together to explore collaborations.
Emerging British-Asian talent gain mentorship and international exposure.
Small-scale dramas, kids’ shows, and adapting popular formats were the projects everyone was talking about.
Telling stories that feel real to their culture, yet can connect with anyone, is what makes them work worldwide.
Meeting three times a year keeps the UK and China talking, creating opportunities that last beyond one event.
The theatre was packed for the Third Shanghai–London Screen Industry Forum. Between panels and workshops, filmmakers, producers and executives discussed ideas and business cards and it felt more than just a summit. British-Asian filmmakers were meeting and greeting the Chinese industry in an attempt to explore genuine possibilities of working in China’s film market.
UK China film collaborations take off as Third Shanghai London Forum connects British Asian filmmakers with Chinese studios Instagram/ukchinafilm
What makes the forum important for British-Asian filmmakers?
For filmmakers whose films explore identity and belonging, this is a chance to show their work on an international stage, meet Chinese directors, talk co-productions and break cultural walls that normally feel unscalable. “It’s invaluable,” Abid Khan said after a panel, “because you can’t create globally if you don’t talk globally.”
And it’s not just established names. Young filmmakers were all around, pitching ideas and learning on the go. The forum gave them a chance to get noticed with mentoring, workshops, and live pitch sessions.
Which projects are catching international attention?
Micro-dramas are trending. Roy Lu of Linmon International says vertical content for apps is “where it’s at.” They’ve done US, Canada, Australia and next stop, Europe. YouTube is back in focus too, thanks to Rosemary Reed of POW TV Studios. Short attention spans and three-minute hits, she’s ready.
Children’s and sports shows are another hotspot. Jiella Esmat of 8Lions is developing Touch Grass, a football-themed children’s show. The logic is simple: sports and kids content unite families, like global glue.
Then there’s format adaptation. Lu also talked about Nothing But 30, a Chinese series with 7 billion streams. The plan is for an english version in London. Not a straight translation, but a cultural transformation. “‘30’ in London isn’t just words,” Lu says. “It’s a new story.”
Jason Zhang of Stellar Pictures says international audiences respond when culture isn’t just a background prop. Lanterns, flowers, rituals, they’re part of the plot. Cedric Behrel from Trinity CineAsia adds: you need context. Western audiences don’t know Journey to the West, so co-production helps them understand without diluting the story.
Economic sense matters too. Roy Lu stresses: pick your market, make it financially viable. Esmat likens ideal co-productions to a marriage: “Multicultural teams naturally think about what works globally and what doesn’t.”
The UK-China Film Collab’s Future Talent Programme is taking on eight students or recent grads this year. They’re getting the backstage access to international filmmaking that few ever see, including mentorship, festival organising and hands-on experience. Alumni are landing real jobs: accredited festival journalists, Beijing producers, curators at The National Gallery.
Adrian Wootton OBE reminded everyone: “We exist through partnerships, networks, and collaboration.” Yin Xin from Shanghai Media Group noted that tri-annual gathering: London, Shanghai, Hong Kong create an “intensive concentration” of ideas.
Actor-director Zhang Luyi said it best: cultural exchange isn’t telling your story to someone, it’s creating stories together.
The Shanghai-London Screen Industry Forum is no longer just a talking shop. It’s a launchpad, a bridge. And for British-Asian filmmakers and emerging talent, it’s a chance to turn ideas into reality.
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