Former Australian Test captain Tim Paine has been appointed head coach of the Prime Minister’s XI for their two-day pink-ball warm-up match against India A, ahead of the highly anticipated Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Paine will be joined by assistant coaches Erin Osborne and Justin McNally.
The match will take place from November 30 to December 1 in Canberra, providing India with crucial preparation for the second Test in Adelaide, which will be a day-night encounter. The warm-up fixture is part of India’s larger effort to acclimatize to Australian conditions, as they aim to bounce back from a disappointing 0-3 home series defeat against New Zealand.
India need a strong performance in the five-match series to stay in contention for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. India’s main squad is set to arrive in Australia in two batches on November 10 and 11, while the India A team, featuring several Test squad members, is already playing unofficial matches against Australia A to adjust to local conditions.
The pink-ball Test in Adelaide, scheduled as the second match of the Border-Gavaskar series, will be a key challenge for India, and this warm-up game against Paine’s team will be vital preparation. India A’s two-day match will provide their batters and bowlers valuable experience under lights, ahead of what is expected to be a tough Test series.
The first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy begins on November 22 in Perth, and India will need to win the series to keep their hopes alive for a place in the WTC final, making this tour one of their most important in recent years.
