Team India to play day-night tour match right before Adelaide pink-ball Test against Australia

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Team India is set to play a two-day, day-night tour match against Australia’s Prime Minister’s XI as part of their preparations for the five-match Border- Sunil Gavaskar Trophy later this year. The series, which kicks off in Perth on November 22, marks the first time since the 1991-92 season that the two cricketing powerhouses will face off in a five-Test series.

Cricket Australia confirmed on Friday that the tour match will be held at the Manuka Oval in Canberra on November 30 and December 1, providing the Indian team with a crucial opportunity to acclimatize to the pink-ball conditions.

This match has been scheduled between the first two Tests to help the visitors prepare for the day-night Test in Adelaide, a key fixture in the series. The Indian team previously played a day-night Test during their 2020-21 tour of Australia at the same venue, during which the side endured a horrific outing with the bat in the second innings; India were bowled out for just 36.

India's most recent day-night Test outing came in Bengaluru against Sri Lanka in early 2022, and they have taken part in four pink-ball encounters. In comparison, their Australian rivals have played 11 day-night matches, including the inaugural Test under lights at Adelaide in 2015.

“This year's Prime Minister's XI fixture — which will highlight the strong cricket bonds that stretch back to India's independence in 1947 and celebrate the nations' ever-strengthening economic, cultural and community ties — also features a historic first,” CA said in a statement.

“While it represents the fourth time India have tackled a PM's XI in Australia, the event has not previously been fought out over two days, with the initial 48 fixtures (against touring teams and ATSIC Chairman's XI) dating back to 1951 hosting one-day games,” it added.

India, Australia in WTC

The five-Test series against Australia will be crucial to India's chances at qualifying for a third straight World Test Championship final. Interestingly, the two sides are currently the top two in the WTC table; while India have 68.51 percentage points, Australia follow closely with 62.5. Both teams also met in the final of the previous edition of the WTC, where Australia emerged winners.