Woolmer, who saw his team crash to an unexpected defeat to underdogs India in the final of a one-day triangular tournament in Bombay on Wednesday, said: ``We have been playing a lot of one-day games''.
``This three-day match is very important for us to get into gear for the longer version of the game, with the three Test matches coming up.''
South Africa look sure to keep all-rounder Brian McMillan on the sidelines following injury while other top names, including paceman Allan Donald, may well be rested after featuring in all the one-dayers.
Karnataka, the Ranji Trophy champions, will be severely weakened by big-name absences.
Leg spinner Anil Kumble, who took four wickets in Wednesday's win to claim the man-of-the-match award, has opted out of the side.
He will be joined on the sidelines by Indian strike duo Javagal Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad, who have chosen to rest before the three-Test series against Hansie Cronje's tourists.
Left-arm spinner Sunil Joshi has also asked not to be selected.
Top-order batsman Rahul Dravid, however, is likely to play.
The match will be played at the Jawarharlal Nehru stadium, which was inaugurated nine months ago.
India's selectors, including chairman Ramakant Desai, are due to be at the game.
Karnataka medium pacer David Johnson, who played against Australia in the one-off Test last month, and opening batsman Sujith Somasundar, who played in two one-day matches against South Africa and Australia before being axed, will harbour hopes of a call-up for the Test series.
Cronje's side, meanwhile, will be wanting to restore their morale after beating India and Australia three times each in the triangular series before a disastrous batting performance condemned them to a 35-run defeat in Bombay.
The tourists taken on a President's Board XI in Baroda after the Cochin match before the first Test in Ahmedabad, which starts on November 20.
The second Test is in Calcutta from November 27 to December 1 and the third Test starts in Kanpur on December 8.