India’s preparation for the day-night Test against Australia in Adelaide faced a setback as Day 1 of their practice game against the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra was washed out due to persistent rain. To compensate for the lost time, both teams have agreed to play a one-day match on Sunday at the Manuka Oval. However, with uncertain weather still looming, it remains to be seen if Rohit Sharma’s side can gain valuable match practice ahead of the crucial second Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
Key Players Eye Practice Time
Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, both of whom missed the opening Test in Perth, were hoping to use this practice game to regain rhythm. Rohit, who was unavailable for the first match after the birth of his second child with wife Ritika Sajdeh, is set to return to the lineup. Meanwhile, Gill has recovered from a left thumb injury sustained during a match simulation at the WACA.
Gill had his first training session in Canberra on Thursday and was optimistic about his recovery. Speaking to BCCI.TV, Gill said:
“For the first couple of days, I was quite low, a bit disappointed. It was my first day (training), and I just wanted to get a feel to see how the injury is reacting, if there was any jarring or soreness. It actually went much better than I expected, and I’m very happy with that.”
Revised Match Schedule
The one-day match will serve as an opportunity for India to work on their batting and bowling with the pink ball. Below are the updated session timings for the game:
First Innings: 9:20 AM to 12:40 PM IST
Innings Break: 12:40 PM to 1:10 PM IST
Second Innings: 1:10 PM to 4:40 PM IST
India’s Pink Ball Experience
India has played only four pink-ball Tests to date, with their last outing in March 2022 against Sri Lanka. This limited experience with the pink ball makes the practice game even more crucial for the team’s preparations.
Squads for the Match
Prime Minister’s XI:
Jack Edwards (c), Charlie Anderson, Mahli Beardman, Scott Boland, Jack Clayton, Aidan O’Connor, Ollie Davies, Jayden Goodwin, Sam Harper, Hanno Jacobs, Sam Konstas, Lloyd Pope, Matthew Renshaw, Jem Ryan
India:
Rohit Sharma (c), Jasprit Bumrah, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhimanyu Easwaran, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Sarfaraz Khan, Dhruv Jurel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep, Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar
A Test of Preparations
With the Adelaide Test fast approaching, India will be hoping the weather permits them to make the most of this one-day encounter. It will be crucial for key players to get some match time and adapt to the pink ball ahead of the high-stakes clash on December 6.
