3 things to watch out for in India's two-day warm-up match in Australia before Adelaide Test of BGT 2024-25 ft. Rohit Sharma's return

India will take on the Australian Prime Minister's XI in a two-day warm-up match in Canberra, starting on Saturday, November 30, ahead of the second Test in Adelaide. The visitors will be keen on making the most of this experience.

It has become increasingly rare for touring sides to play warm-up matches anymore, but the Indian team management has done the right thing by asking for one here so that they can acclimatize themselves to the pink ball.

India's record against the pink ball in Australia is not great, and the management must have had this in mind while adding this fixture to the schedule. This game will provide the players with ample chances to fine-tune their skills.

In this listicle, we take a look at three things to watch out for in this warm-up match:

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#1 Rohit Sharma's form

One of the first things to watch out for in this game is how Rohit Sharma fares. The India captain missed out on playing in the first Test in Perth as he had stayed back in Mumbai after the birth of his child. In Canberra, it will be interesting to see how Sharma does against the moving ball.

Sharma is one of the finest openers in the world, and he will add a lot of value to the Indian top-order. His leadership skills too will be a big addition to the side although it is fair to say that Jasprit Bumrah did not do too badly in his absence. Sharma will open for India in Canberra, and he will like some runs under his belt.

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#2 Indian batters' footwork against the pink ball

India did not do too well the last time they played a Test in Australia against the pink ball. In fact, they were restricted to 36/9 last time around in Adelaide in 2021. They ended up losing the Test by a big margin.

This time around, the management has asked for a friendly game against the pink ball first before the action heats up in the following Test in Adelaide. The Indian batters, therefore, will be keen on making the most of this opportunity.

The pink ball is known to move late in the air, especially under lights, and India's batters will be keen on playing with good footwork. If they fail to use their feet while batting against the pink ball, it will sound the death knell to their hopes.

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#3 The pacers India want to expose

Another major thing that spectators will be keen on watching out for in this game is the seamers India want to expose. There is a lot of talk about Akash Deep being included in the side for the second Test in Adelaide, and it will be interesting to see if he gets picked in this match and push his case.

Karnataka seamer Prasidh Krishna, who is also in the squad, will be keen on making a mark for himself if gets a chance in this game. The likes of Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy, on the other hand, will want to cement their respective places in the playing XI.