Ahead of his side’s two-day pink-ball warm-up fixture against India, Australia’s Prime Ministers’ XI captain Jack Edwards said that the team is excited to go against some of the best players in the world, particularly star batters Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, and hope to put a dent into the Indian batting line-up ahead of the pink-ball Test against Australia at Adelaide from December 6 onwards. The visitors will be aiming to brush up their skills against the pink ball as they have arrived in Canberra for the match starting from Saturday onwards.

They would be aiming to put behind the horrors of 36 all out during the Adelaide pink ball Test during their previous tour Down Under and continue with their positive and attacking cricket after a morale-shattering defeat handed to Australia by 295 runs at Perth’s Optus Stadium.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Edwards said, “Excited to go out there. Hopefully, the rains stays away. Prepared really well this morning in the nets. The group is young, with some old guys in the mix. We are all excited.”

“It is an amazing opportunity for both young and old stars to come up against the likes of Rohit and Virat and some of the world’s best. Being around them was exciting for a lot of youngsters (at the Parliament House during interaction with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese). It is going to be awesome,” he added.

Edwards, who has played 36 first-class matches and scored 1,550 runs at an average of 28.18 with two centuries and three fifties, said that any chance to pick the brains of superstar Indian players would be “unreal.”.

Talking about the pitch at Manuka Oval, where the match is happening, Edwards said that the pitch has nice coverage of grass and looks hard. “It would be a challenge for the batters to start out the innings with the new ball,” he added.

On the idea of Indian players facing pacer Scott Boland, the 10-Test-old star who haunted Team India during the ICC World Test Championship final last year in the UK, Edwards said that it is a difficult task to face the bowler.

“An ultimate professional. With a pink ball under the lights, he could be dangerous to face for anyone. Hopefully, he could get two of the top-order batters out and put some dent in them ahead of the Adelaide Test,” he concluded.

Meanwhile, in a positive development ahead of the pink-ball, day-night Test at Adelaide Oval against Australia, young Indian batting sensation Shubman Gill was seen batting in the nets at Canberra.

In the nets, Gill was seen refining his solid defence. After missing out on the first Test due to a thumb injury, there were positive signs as not only did Gill seem to handle his bat well, but his defence also looked pretty solid.

Meanwhile, Indian skipper Rohit Sharma started practicing in the nets as he joined the team in Australia during the Perth Test after the birth of his second child.

On the other hand, India head coach Gautam Gambhir flew back home amidst the ongoing Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024-2025 and will miss the two-day tour game against the Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra, according to ESPNcricinfo.

The report stated that Gambhir had left the squad to be in India for personal reasons.

A Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) spokesperson confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that the India head coach will be back with the squad before the Adelaide Test, which will be starting on December 6.

Prime Minister XI squad for the match: Jack Edwards (c), Charlie Anderson, Mahli Beardman, Scott Boland, Jack Clayton, Aidan O’Connor, Ollie Davies, Jayden Goodwin, Sam Harper, Hanno Jacobs, Sam Konstas, Lloyd Pope, Matthew Renshaw, Jem Ryan.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Cricket Australia’s National Selection Panel (NSP) have named the squad for the Prime Minister’s XI match against India in Canberra. ACT Comet Hanno Jacobs will rub shoulders with Test-capped internationals Scott Boland and Matthew Renshaw when he takes the field for the Prime Minister’s XI. A fast-bowling allrounder, Jacobs has represented the ACT Comets for the past four seasons in the Second XI competition. The squad will reunite former Australian Under-19 teammates Charlie Anderson, Mahli Beardman, Aidan O’Connor and Sam Konstas for the first time since their victorious World Cup campaign in February.

Jack Edwards will captain a squad which contains a blend of Australia’s brightest young talent and established international cricketers.

The team will be supported throughout the game by local ACT premier cricketers.

The two-day, day/night fixture against India begins on Saturday, November 30, 2024 at Manuka Oval.

The match will see India play under lights with the pink Kookaburra ball ahead of the Day Night Test Match at Adelaide Oval.

The Prime Minister’s XI squad to play India:

-Jack Edwards (C) (NSW/Manly Warringah District Cricket Club)

-Charlie Anderson (NSW/Northern District Cricket Club)

-Mahli Beardman (WA/Melville Cricket Club)

-Scott Boland (VIC/Frankston Peninsula Cricket Club)

-Jack Clayton (QLD/University of Queensland Cricket Club)

-Aidan O’Connor (TAS/Greater Northern Raiders)

-Ollie Davies (NSW/Manly Warringah District Cricket Club)

-Jayden Goodwin (WA/Subiaco-Floreat Cricket Club)

-Sam Harper (VIC/Melbourne Cricket Club)

-Hanno Jacobs (ACT/Western Suburbs District Cricket Club)

-Sam Konstas (NSW/Sutherland District Cricket Club)

-Lloyd Pope (SA/Kensington District Cricket Club)

-Matt Renshaw Matthew Renshaw (QLD/Toombul District Cricket Club)

-Jem Ryan (QLD/Ipswich Cricket Club)

PM Albanese said as quoted by a press release said, “The Prime Minister’s XI has a rich history within Australian Cricket and I am delighted to confirm the squad for this summer’s match against India.”

“Taking on India, one of the best sides in world cricket featuring the likes of Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant, will be an amazing experience for the squad, particularly knowing that millions of fans around the globe will be watching the match.I want to thank Jack Edwards for taking on the role of captain and look forward to watching him lead a side which will compete strongly while remaining true to the traditions and values of the Prime Minister’s XI,” he signed off.

The chief selector Bailey said, “The Prime Minister’s XI match presents an opportunity for a highly talented squad to impress against a strong Indian team in their only pink-ball hit out prior to the second Test.We are utilising the opportunity to maintain Scott Boland’s match fitness in his preparations as part of the Test squad. We thank the Prime Minister for his input into the squad which sees some of the country’s most exciting young cricketers mixed with some highly experienced players.”.

Notably, the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy between India and Australia started on Friday. India won the toss and opted to bat first.

India (Playing XI): KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Devdutt Padikkal, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant(w), Dhruv Jurel, Nitish Reddy, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Jasprit Bumrah(c), Mohammed Siraj

Australia (Playing XI): Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith, Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, Alex Carey(w), Pat Cummins(c), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood.