India's warm-up match against Sri Lanka's XI at the Nondescripts Cricket Club Ground in Colombo is set to be a challenging one, with heavy rain forecast to affect the city from Friday morning until Sunday afternoon.
The weather report predicts a 90 per cent chance of rain on Friday morning, with around 9.4 mm of rainfall expected. The temperature is likely to be around 30°C, while humidity could touch 78 per cent. Cloud cover is expected to remain at 99 per cent, with visibility reduced to around 5 km.
The match is an important part of India's preparations for the two-Test series against Sri Lanka, which begins in Galle on August 15. India's batters will use the game to prepare for Sri Lanka's spin attack, which troubled India in recent home Test series against New Zealand and South Africa.
Indian batters have already practised against spin before travelling to Colombo, but batting on Sri Lankan pitches in match conditions will provide a better test. Captain Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, and Yashasvi Jaiswal have already had a taste of Sri Lanka's spin.
India's bowling attack will also look to get used to local conditions. With Jasprit Bumrah unavailable due to injury, Mohammed Siraj will lead the pace attack. He will be supported by Prasidh Krishna, Gurnoor Brar, Manav Suthar, and Saransh Jain.
The biggest challenge for India, however, could be the weather. If the forecast proves accurate, rain may deny the visitors valuable practice before the opening Test. Head coach Gautam Gambhir has urged the players to make full use of the preparation time.
"We know what is in front of us," Gambhir said. "We can do volume, we can push our limits, we can tick all the boxes and come 15th morning whether we are batting first or bowling first we will be absolutely ready with every answer to every question thrown at us."
The warm-up match is a crucial one for India, and they will be eager to adjust to Sri Lankan conditions despite the weather forecast. The team will be hoping to make the most of the game, even if it is affected by rain.
India will have to adapt to the conditions and make the most of the time they have on the field. The weather forecast is looking uncertain, and the team will be hoping for a dry spell to get some valuable practice in. The match will be a test for India's preparations ahead of the first Test.
Source: Yahoo Sports