Rain fell at the SCG and for a brief moment on all appeared normal in the world.
The ground that has had more days of Test cricket washed out than any other in Australia had once again fallen victim to summer rain.
Then came the reminder over the loudspeaker that snapped the match back to reality that this was no normal SCG delay.
"Ladies and gentleman, please remain in your seat," Cricket Australia's stand-in ground announcer said, with their main man James Sherry stuck in Melbourne.
"Free ponchos are available from your closest staff member."
Rain had been NSW Health's biggest fear, worried that fans congregating under cover would undermine the 25 per cent capacity limit and erode social distancing.
But for the most part the fans listened.
The majority sitting out in the open remained seated during play, some dressed in full hazmat suits and all wearing masks.
It was at the SCG where Australian sport in the COVID-era began, when the doors were slammed shut on an ODI between Australia and New Zealand.
But the ground was alive on Thursday compared to that grim March day.
There were no licence checks on entry to ensure those who live in COVID-19 hot spots stayed home.
But the NSW government promised spot checks and $1000 fines for those who failed to heed the directive.
Fittingly, Jasprit Bumrah aborted his run up for the first ball of a Sydney Test that just week ago looked in serious doubt.
But there was a loud cheer when Pucovski got bat on ball for the first time in Test cricket.
It was louder again when he worked Mohammed Siraj down to fine leg from his eighth ball for his first Test run.
Outside of that, it felt more like a fourth or fifth day of a Test match at the SCG rather than day one against noted crowd pullers India.
There were lots of empty seats between small pockets of fans, with the COVID-safe capacity of 12,000 appearing unlikely to be met.
But at least for those in attendance there was a small window of cricket to go with the rain that has now impacted four of the past five SCG Tests.
