IND vs NZ ODI Series 2023: India's predicted XI against New Zealand for 3rd ODI

After absolutely decimating New Zealand in the second ODI, team India will now eye to white-wash the Black Caps when they take on the Tom Latham-led side at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on January 24. 

After Shubman Gill’s batting masterclass in the first ODI, the bowlers stepped up and absolutely thrashed the Kiwi batters in the second match. Veteran pacer Mohammed Shami wreaked havoc with the new ball while all-rounder Hardik Pandya returned back to form as he picked up two wickets while giving away just 16 runs in six overs.

He had conceded 70 runs in his seven overs in the first match of the series and looked pale throughout. Thus, his return to form will be a massive boost to the team. 

For batters, there is room for improvement. Ishan Kishan has failed to own the number four position as of now while Suryakumar Yadav is yet to prove himself in the 50-overs format. Thus, even though the match doesn’t hold any significant value, it is going to be very important for these cricketers.

However, will there be any changes to the playing combination? There can be as India have sealed the series already. So, without further ado, let’s check out Men in Blue’s possible combination for the third ODI.

Here’s India’s predicted XI in the 3rd ODI against New Zealand

Openers – Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma (c)

Indian openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill are playing some brilliant cricket at the moment. However, when it comes to the skipper, he is unable to make his starts count. Even in the previous match, Rohit scored a half-century but got out to Henry Shipley right after the milestone. The 35-year-old not being able to covert his starts is a major concern at the moment as the ODI World Cup is just a few months away. 

Coming to Gill, the opener smashed a cracking double century in the first ODI of the series in Hyderabad. If he manages to continue batting with the same intent, the 23-year-old can cement his spot as an opener in the ODI World Cup. However, he still needs to prove a lot and remain consistent in order to do so.

Middle Order - Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan (WK), Suryakumar Yadav, Rajat Patidar

Virat Kohli returned back to his absolute best in the Sri Lanka series but is yet to fire against the Kiwis in the ongoing series. In the first two matches, ‘King Kohli’ was dismissed early and the Indian fans would hope that it will change in the final match of the series in Indore.

In the absence of the new designated keeper-batter KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan has been handed an opportunity in the New Zealand series. However, ever since he has been asked to bat at number four, the Southpaw hasn’t been at his best. He scored only five runs in the first ODI of the series while remaining unbeaten on 8 in the second match. Overall, the 24-year-old needs to improve in order to guarantee his position in the World Cup.

The flamboyant batter Suryakumar Yadav hasn’t been able to prove himself in the 50-overs format. In 19 ODI matches, the 32-year-old has scored 419 runs at a strike rate of 101.69. He definitely needs to get better in order to feature in India's World Cup squad.

Hardik Pandya might get some rest in order to manage his workload and thus, Rajat Patidar might earn his debut cap in the third ODI against New Zealand. In 51 List A games so far, the 29-year-old has scored 1648 runs at a strike rate of 97.45.

All-rounder: Washington Sundar

With Hardik Pandya not there (if he doesn't play), Washington Sundar will play a crucial part in the playing XI. The all-rounder bowled only three overs in the previous match but managed to pick up two wickets giving away just seven runs. His batting however needs to be tested and most importantly his fielding needs to get better.

Bowlers - Shardul Thakur, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik, Kuldeep Yadav

Shardul Thakur is again someone who’s going to play a massive role in the third ODI. In the absence of Hardik Pandya, the 31-year-old will be bowling in the middle overs and his batting can also come in handy. In the last match in Raipur, the pacer picked up the important wicket of Tom Latham and gave away 26 runs in his six overs.

Mohammed Siraj has been phenomenal, to say the least. He currently is the leading wicket-taker in the ODI series and will once again play an important role in the third ODI. He has been economical and is picking up wickets at regular intervals.

Speedster Umran Malik is likely to make a return as the team management can give Mohammed Shami a much-needed rest before the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Meanwhile, spin wizard Kuldeep Yadav is likely to continue despite Yuzvendra Chahal waiting in the wings. Notably, the 28-year-old left-arm wrist pinner has picked up three wickets in two matches so far.

Probable team India squad - Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Rajat Patidar, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Umran Malik, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav

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