IND vs NZ 3rd ODI Predicted XI: With the series already won, India would love to test their bench strength in the third and final ODI against New Zealand in Indore on Tuesday.
It is highly likely that India will rest vice-captain Hardik Pandya, pacer Mohammed Siraj, and chinaman Kuldeep Yadav. Pandya will lead India in the T20Is and both Siraj and Kuldeep are expected to play a big role in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar series, starting from Fabruary 9.
With the T20 fixtures scheduled later this week, the team management may also be tempted to rest Hardik Pandya and give Shahbaz Ahmed a go in the final ODI. The 28-year-old Bengal all-rounder has so far featured in three ODIs and has done reasonably well with the ball. Shahbaz is yet to prove his mettle with the bat, but in the domestic cricket and in the IPL, he has shown that he is more than capable. Hardik has been underwhelming with the bat of late. He has had a mediocre series against Sri Lanka and hasn’t impressed against New Zealand yet.
Umran have not featured in the series so far and with the ODI World Cup later this year, the team management is looking to test the core players while carefully monitoring the workload. In Jasprit Bumrah’s absence Siraj has been India’s most influential fast bowler in Tests, ODIs, as well as T20Is. From the spunky sidekick, he has emerged as the lead man in a period wherein Bumrah, India’s gun bowler still, has spent more time on the physio’s table and in rehab rooms, and Shami has battled inconsistency in Tests and profligacy in ODIs. In 17 ODIs, he has bagged 29 wickets at an average of 21.51, an economy-rate of 4.63 and a strike-rate of 27.8.
Kuldeep Yadav has done a decent job, since making his comeback into the Indian cricket team. He has pipped Yuzvendra Chahal for the sole wrist-spinner role but team management would love to try Chahal in the final ODI, who has been warming the bench. Chahal last featured in the Guwahati ODI against Sri Lanka and then missed the second ODI at Eden due to injury. Kuldeep stepped
India vs New Zealand: Pitch Report
Indore is tipped to be a high-scoring game amd the bounce and smaller boundaries make the pitch at the Holkar Stadium batter- friendly and the bowlers will have to work hard to keep the scoring in check.
India vs New Zealand Predicted XI
India XI: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav, Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mohammed Shami, and Umran Malik.
New Zealand XI: Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham (captain & wk), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Lockie Ferguson, Henry Shipley, and Blair Tickner.
India vs New Zealand squads
India: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan (wk), Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Suryakumar Yadav, KS Bharat (wk), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and Umran Malik.
New Zealand: Tom Latham (captain), Finn Allen, Doug Bracewell, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi and Blair Tickner.
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