The much-awaited opening day of India’s two-day tour match against the Prime Minister's XI at Manuka Oval was completely washed out due to persistent rain on Saturday. With the weather playing spoilsport, the teams have agreed to convert the remaining day into a 50-over per side contest, scheduled for Sunday.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) shared the update on its official social media platform, stating, “Update: PM's XI v India - Manuka Oval. Play has been abandoned for Day 1 and will resume tomorrow (Sunday) at 9:10 am IST. Coin toss will be at 8:40 am IST. Teams have agreed to play 50 overs per side.”

Rain Dampens Preparations for Pink-Ball Test
Continuous drizzle, starting at 10 am local time and persisting until 5:30 pm, ensured there was no chance of play on Saturday. The ground remained under covers throughout the day, with only a brief spell of relief in the evening allowing ground staff and officials to assess conditions. However, as rain resumed in full force later, the match officials decided to call off the day’s play by 6:30 pm.

Despite visiting the ground, the Indian players had no option but to return to their hotel, given the wet and unplayable conditions. Heavy rain at 7 pm dashed any remaining hopes of a late start.

A Final Warm-Up Before the Adelaide Test
The Indian team will now use Sunday’s limited-overs match as a final preparation opportunity ahead of the second Test against Australia, scheduled to begin on December 6 in Adelaide. The upcoming day-night Test will be played with a pink ball, making the warm-up crucial for acclimatization to the conditions.

On a brighter note for India, star batter Rohit Sharma is expected to feature in the Test match, providing a much-needed boost to the team. Meanwhile, Australia will be without key pacer Josh Hazlewood, whose stellar performance in 2020 led to India’s historic low score of 36 in Adelaide.