New Zealand have visited India on 16 occasions for ODIs, including four World Cups and the Champions Trophy. During this time they never managed to get their hands on the trophy and went home empty handed. They forced a series decider three times on Indian soil and failed. Now, more than the Blackcaps fans who see these stats and feel the cold sweat, it will be the Indian cricket fans who will have the memories of the 2024 season.
At the time, New Zealand arrived in India without winning a Test series and left by handing Gautam Gambhir his first reality as a coach and with a score of 3-0. One might say the setup remains the same as both sides head to Indore for the final match of this entertaining series. Many people wrote off New Zealand the moment the team was informed that Kane Williamson was missing and Mitchell Santner was rested for the ODIs.
The third ODI will be streamed live on the JioHotstar app and website, while the match will be telecast on the Star Sports network from 1:30 PM IST on Wednesday.
They had debutants in each of the first two games, yet it was their batting that excelled. Daryl Mitchell continues to haunt Indiaand he finally got that elusive victory for his efforts last time out in Rajkot. This was compounded by Michael Bracewell’s smart leadership and some tight bowling which saw India suffer several batting collapses in the first two matches.
In India, it is the bowling that needs to step up, especially the spinners. Ravindra Jadeja seems to be off color and Kuldeep Yadav made 82 runs in Rajkot, meaning confidence will be a bit low. The batting showed reliance on the top three and KL Rahul to bail them out of tight spots and will require Shreyas Iyer and others to make meaningful contributions.
With eyes firmly set on the T20 World Cup 2026, India will be hoping to maintain the winning momentum and keep New Zealand’s long wait at bay.
IND vs NZ 3rd ODI: Indore Pitch Report
If you’re in Indore, it’s customary to indulge in some poha, and if you’re watching cricket, a lot of runs. This is the same ground where Virender Sehwag scored 219 runs against West Indies 14 years ago. India have scored 399 and 385 in their last two matches and the latter was against the Blackcaps three years ago.
So expect a lot of runs to be scored at the Holkar Stadium given its small boundaries and provided the pitch is not unusual.
IND vs NZ 3rd ODI: Indore Weather Report
There will be no rain on Sunday and fans will be treated to a fine day of cricket. Temperatures fluctuated, with daytime highs hovering in the upper 20s and nighttime lows dropping to cooler temperatures.
IND vs NZ 3rd ODI: Predicted Playing XI
The biggest question for everyone is whether Arshdeep Singh will finally get a game in the series. While the Indian team’s pacers in Siraj, Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna performed well, they seemed to have no answers to the onslaught of Mitchell during the Rajkot ODI.
Siraj left it to the team management but he conceded that the left-arm pacer can take wickets with the new ball.
“Arshdeep bowled very well and took wickets with the new ball. The captain and the coach decide the roles but as a bowler, if someone is taking wickets at the other end, my job is to create pressure and not give runs. I have full faith in him,” said Siraj.
“Harshit (Rana) also did well, got the wicket ahead. It is good for him that he is getting an opportunity before the World Cup.”
Nitish Kumar Reddy was hardly used with the ball, getting two overs, bringing him under the scanner. But if India need some batting cushion, they can pick Ayush Badoni in the side for his extraordinary and explosive batting.
This means either Arshdeep has to replace Prasidha or remain on the bench. New Zealand may opt to bring back Aditya Ashok despite Jayden Lennox’s decent performance on debut. Besides, they will be supporting the side that won them the match in Rajkot.
India: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (week), Nitish Kumar Reddy/Ayush Badoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna/Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj.
New Zealand: Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Hay (wk), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell (capt), Kristian Clarke, Kyle Jamieson, Zak Foulkes, Adithya Ashok/Jayden Lennox
– The end
Published on:
January 18, 2026