India and New Zealand meet each other in the third ODI of their ongoing bilateral series on Sunday, January 18, at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore. India had won the first game of the series and taken a lead, but the Kiwis came back strongly to win the second match and level it 1-1. Now, the series is at stake, and whichever side is able to win the third and final match will be crowned the winner. India, playing at home, have a lot at stake, while for the Kiwis, this will be a good experience while playing in these conditions.
New Zealand will be pleased by the good form shown by two of their best batters, Daryl Mitchell and Will Young, who scored 131 not out and 81, respectively, in the second game. Although the young players in their side did not get the chance to showcase their wares, their bowlers were able to contain the Indian side. The Kiwi bowlers have adapted well to these conditions, and consistently hit the deck hard while not giving their opponents any room to free their arms at all
India's biggest weakness has been in their bowling department, given that they could not pick up more than three wickets in the second match. Captain Shubman Gill was found wanting in some of his bowling changes as well as field placements, and he will have to do his homework well before this game in Indore. The ground here is quite small, and India need to get their tactics straight much before the game gets underway. Their batters too need to build up on their starts and convert them into big scores.
Predicted Teams
IND: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (wk), Shreyas Iyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna.
NZ: Henry Nicholls, Devon Conway (wk), Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell (c), Kristian Clarke, Zakary Foulkes, Josh Clarkson, Kyle Jamieson, Adhitya Ashok.
Key Players
Prasidh Krishna (IND): Seamer Prasidh Krishna picked up one of the wickets to fall in the second ODI, but that was not a true reflection of his ability with the ball. Krishna is known to get the ball to seam, but he can also swing it when it is new. Generally, he is an economical bowler who hits the same lines and lengths. And if he is given the right field, he can be quite the dangerman for India, both with the new ball and old.
Kristian Clarke (NZ): Seamer Kristian Clarke picked up three wickets in Rajkot, including the prized one of Virat Kohli. He hit the deck hard and even got the ball to move around. Captain Michael Bracewell gave Clarke an opportunity to bowl first-change, and a similar tactic will be applied in Indore. Clarke is a wily customer who can also take the pace off the ball, and this is bound to confuse batters in their stroke-making. He can be handy for New Zealand in the death overs too. Just 24 years old, Clarke has already picked up 4 wickets in 2 ODIs in his career.
Match Prediction
Despite losing the second game, India are the favourites to win. This ground is quite small in its dimensions, and hence, it favours batters who can clear the rope comfortably. India, with Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer in their ranks, have several such players. The Kiwis will have to bowl extremely tight lines on this batting-friendly pitch to not get picked comfortably. India also need to work on getting their areas right while bowling, but they are still expected to win.