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Heavy rain forecast for Canberra could wash out at least half of India's pink-ball warm-up match ahead of the second Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
India's pink-ball preparations for the Adelaide Test are at risk of being ruined by Canberra's weather, with up to 50mm of rain predicted for day one of their Prime Minister's XI clash.
With the pink-ball match already only scheduled for two days, there are fears Saturday's play could be washed out entirely, with heavy rain forecast.
A thunderstorm is also predicted for the final day on Sunday, with the forecast at least looking slightly better and a chance of some play.
India have not played a pink-ball match since Marsh 2022. They were bowled out for 36 in their most recent day-night Test in Australia in 2020.
The tourists had planned on using this weekend's match to give Rohit Sharma a hit-out in Australia, after he missed their 295-run win in the opening Test in Perth for the birth of his second child.
It comes as Australian selectors opted against putting out-of-form batters into the PM's XI, reasoning they could instead get work done in the nets ahead of the second Border-Gavaskar Test.
NSW allrounder Jack Edwards has been left to captain the hosts at Manuka Oval, with Matt Renshaw, Sam Konstas and Scott Boland the Test hopefuls in the team.
"We're very excited to get out there. Hopefully the rain can stay away. It's not looking very good right now," Edwards said on Friday.
"It's an amazing opportunity ... to come up against (Virat) Kohli and Sharma and some of the best players in the world.
"Any opportunity we get to pick their brains (will be great). If we do get a bit of rain, we might try to get a few conversations going there.
"You can't take for granted the opportunity to speak to the world's best and try and learn something about them to better your own game."
It is possible that if day one is washed out, an arrangement could be made to ensure India get time with bat and ball against the pink Kookaburra.
Renshaw and Konstas have the most to gain out of the match, after Nathan McSweeney won the race to start the Test summer as Australia's opener.
Konstas, Cameron Bancroft and Marcus Harris each failed to make big scores for Australia A against India A earlier this month, while Renshaw was overlooked.
Even if Australia's top order gets through this summer intact, a transition period looms for the Test team over the next 18 months.
"Any opportunity to play cricket you look at a chance to put your name forward. You just try and do your best and score runs and take wickets," Edwards said.
