Rain forces abandonment of India-Prime Minister’s XI practice match before Test series
Unrelenting rain abandoned the first day’s play in the two-day practice match between India and the Prime Minister’s XI on Saturday, before the Day-Night Test against Australia which commences on December 6, 2024, at Adelaide. It was quite a disappointment as the two-day practice match that went into abandonment meant quite a set back to the hopes of Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill as well who would have faced real match conditions to prepare themselves for the Pink ball Test.
Both teams will now play a 50-over-a-side match on Sunday at Manuka Oval, weather permitting. This will be the last chance for the players to get accustomed to the conditions before the big Test series starts.
Rohit Sharma, who missed the first Test in Perth to spend time with his family, is itching to get some Pink ball practice ahead of the big Test. Though he has been a part of extensive net sessions with the Pink ball, nothing can compare to the real-match scenario. Similarly, Shubman Gill, who missed the first Test due to a finger injury, is likely to make a comeback to the playing eleven and hopes to get some much-needed match time under his belt to get back in the groove.
Both Rohit and Gill are to replace the players who have been injured, Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel, in the Adelaide Test. Even though things didn’t go according to schedule, the 50-over match will provide them a perfect platform to test before the much-awaited Pink ball Test.