Unrelenting rain forced the abandonment of the first-day's play of the two-day practice match between India and Prime Minister's XI here on Saturday, robbing Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill of some much-needed Pink ball game time ahead of the day-night second Test against Australia at Adelaide.
The teams have agreed to play a 50-over-a-side match on Sunday at the Manuka Oval, weather permitting.
However, it may have come as a dampener for captain Rohit, who had avoided the first Test at Perth to welcome a baby boy into his family ahead of the Pink Ball Test, commencing from December 6.
Even though he has had a few extensive net sessions with the Pink ball, facing quality bowlers in a match situation is of a different value altogether, considering it has been more than seven years since India last played their day-night Test, again during the Sri Lanka tour back in March 2022 in Bengaluru.
Gill had to be rested for the first test, and the top-order batsman is expected to step back into the eleven.
Rohit and Gill are expected to replace Devdutt Padikkal and Dhruv Jurel in the playing eleven for the Adelaide Test. Now, they will pin their hope to form some early plans for the Pink ball Test on Sunday through that 50-over game.
India have played four pink ball Tests so far. After winning against Bangladesh in 2019, Kolkata, India lost to Australia in 2020 in Adelaide, then beat England in 2021 in Ahmedabad and Sri Lanka in 2022 in Bengaluru.
Before that, Gill, who also had a good hit at nets on Friday, would have been looking forward to getting into the match zone through this side game.
Read also| Champions Trophy: ICC Fails to Reach Decision, Will Reconvene in the Coming Days
