Board President XI vs South Africa: Opening day washed out

Such was the intensity of rain that it did not even allow the toss to take place. This is South Africa’s only warm-up game before the first Test begins in Visakhapatnam on October 2

Rohit Sharma, Umesh Yadav and the visiting South African side were left biting their nails as rain washed out the opening day of the warm-up game between Board President’s XI and South Africans at Vizianagaram on Thursday.

Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma bats in the nets during a practice session. (PTI)

Such was the intensity of rain that it did not even allow for the toss to take place. This is South Africa’s only warm-up game before the first Test begins in Visakhapatnam on October 2.

Both the sides will hope that rain stays away in the remaining two days of the match, allowing them to at least complete an innings each before the real deal begins. The focus of the warm-up match will continue to be on Rohit Sharma, who will not captain the BP XI side but will also open in red ball cricket for the first time in his career.

The other two India players in action are opener Mayank Agarwal and pacer Umesh Yadav. Yadav will look to impress the Indian team management and press his case for playing XI berth. He was drafted into the squad after Jasprit Bumrah was ruled out due to an injury.