The Indian cricket team’s preparations for the upcoming ODI series against Sri Lanka faced a setback as heavy rains disrupted their scheduled practice session in Colombo. Star batters Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and KL Rahul, along with other squad members, arrived in Colombo and checked into the ITC Ratnadipa Hotel on July 28.
The Indian team was scheduled to conduct their first practice session on Monday at the R. Premadasa Stadium, located approximately 6 kilometers from their accommodation. However, the weather took a turn for the worse. Initially overcast with a light drizzle in the morning, the rain intensified dramatically by the afternoon, leading to a torrential downpour that left the field waterlogged.
Despite their eagerness to practice, the Indian players, along with a few members of the Sri Lankan squad, had to cancel the session due to the wet conditions. The relentless rain made it impossible to use the ground, causing frustration among the players and coaching staff.
Journalist Vimal Kumar, present in Colombo, shared updates on social media, highlighting the team’s unfortunate timing with the weather. He tweeted, “Rain welcomes Rohit Sharma and his teammates just when they arrived in stadium for first practice session!”
During the rain delay, seasoned Sri Lankan all-rounder Angelo Mathews, along with Abhishek Nayar and Rohit Sharma, were seen conversing on the stadium stairs, watching the downpour helplessly.
The Indian team management had assigned Abhishek Nayar, deputy to head coach Gautam Gambhir, to supervise the session. Nayar had arrived in Colombo on Monday morning following the second T20I.
India’s ODI Squad vs Sri Lanka:
- Rohit Sharma (c)
- Shubman Gill (vc)
- Virat Kohli
- KL Rahul (wk)
- Rishabh Pant (wk)
- Riyan Parag
- Shreyas Iyer
- Shivam Dube
- Axar Patel
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Mohammed Siraj
- Washington Sundar
- Arshdeep Singh
- Khaleel Ahmed
- Harshit Rana
Despite the setback, the Indian team remains focused on their preparations for the ODI series, which will commence three days after the conclusion of the T20I segment. The team will be looking to make the most of any practice opportunities that come their way once the weather clears.
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![SA vs IND [WATCH]: Abhishek Sharma falls to a stunning backward catch by Aiden Markram in the 1st T20I](https://i2.wp.com/crickettimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Abhishek-Sharma-and-Aiden-Markram-1.webp?w=380&resize=380,220&ssl=1 "SA vs IND [WATCH]: Abhishek Sharma falls to a stunning backward catch by Aiden Markram in the 1st T20I")
