The last time rain interrupted play on India's current tour of Sri Lanka was on day one of the Galle Test, 27 days back. If it appeared too good to be true, so it proved as an irritating drizzle that began an hour and a half before the scheduled start and didn't relent one bit ensured Tuesday was a non-event.

There appeared little threat of a wash-out for a majority of the morning, but as afternoon arrived, so did the clouds. High and not so angry to start with, they gradually covered the national capital in a grey shroud. The forecast heavy showers didn't materialise, but they didn't need to because the persistent drizzle was enough to prevent any play.

The latest umpires Billy Doctrove and Gamini Silva could have waited for play to begin was 8.15 pm, to get a 20-overs-a-side contest that constitutes a match under the rules as they exist. Almost the entire outfield was under covers and the pitch had sustained little damage, so there was hope during brief periods when the rains almost stopped that at least a truncated match would be gone through. Gradually, though, the showers picked up in intensity without graduating into a downpour. In any case, the ground staff would have required at least two hours to get the ground ready for play, and with the rain showing no signs of stopping, it wasn't the most difficult decision for the umpires to officially abandon play at 6.00 pm.

Heavy showers

The forecast for the next few days isn't too encouraging, either. The predominant weather from Wednesday through Saturday is forecast to be heavy showers. The final one-dayer is scheduled for Friday with Saturday being the reserve day, and if the forecast does hold good -- which isn't necessarily a must! -- then we could yet have had our last full day of cricket on this tour.

Should that unfortunate turn of events transpire, it will mean that for the first time in four attempts, India would have triumphed in a bilateral one-day series on Sri Lankan soil, courtesy the 2-1 advantage they hold at the moment.

But despite leaving the ground at 3.30 pm, long before play was called off, India will be well aware of the pitfalls of getting ahead of themselves.

Stark contrast

Until Tuesday, this tour had been in stark contrast to India's last sojourn to Sri Lanka in August 2006, originally for a triangular series also involving South Africa, subsequently downsized to a three-match bilateral series after the Proteas flew home citing security concerns once a bomb went off in the heart of Colombo. During their 11-day stay, the Indians saw just 16 minutes and 22 deliveries of competitive action, in the first one-dayer at the SSC ground. This time around, the weather has been a lot kinder, though it appears now as if the unkindest cut has been saved for last.

Assuming there is play on the morrow -- and a good-sized crowd that stayed on patiently for more than four hours at the Premadasa will be hoping a new day brings better news -- team compositions could vary vastly depending on the conditions, and how short a game we get.

As things stood before the rains played spoilsport, India had decided to go in with the same eleven that did duty on Sunday, while Sri Lanka had zeroed in on a logical change aimed at bolstering the opening tandem and lending meat to the under-performing middle-order.

Malinda Warnapura, the left-handed opener who had an excellent Test series with 243 runs from five innings at 60.75, had been pencilled in to make his first limited-overs appearance since his debut against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi in May last year. The decision was forced on the think-tank following Kumar Sangakkara's travails against Zaheer Khan, as well as the lower middle-order's lack of responsibility. Warnapura, all set to replace Chamara Silva, will not be only one hoping Wednesday doesn't go the Tuesday way, but only so far as the weather is concerned!

*Match will be played today- Live on TEN Sports & DD, 2.15 pm.