The India vs. New Zealand ODI series has reached a thrilling climax, with the final match set to take place in Indore on January 18, 2026. With the series tied 1-1, the winner of this match will take home the series trophy.
India won the first ODI by chasing the target, but New Zealand bounced back in the second ODI with a dominant batting performance, leveling the series. In the second match, India managed to post 284/7, thanks to KL Rahul's century, but New Zealand chased it down comfortably, led by Daryl Mitchell's unbeaten 131.
The crucial concern for India is their bowlers' inability to take wickets in the middle overs. In the previous match, Ravindra Jadeja went wicketless, and Kuldeep Yadav conceded 82 runs for just one wicket. The team will need to address their middle-overs bowling to restrict the opposition. An option could be the inclusion of Arshdeep Singh in the crucial encounter.
The Holkar Stadium in Indore, known for its batting-friendly pitch, is expected to produce a high-scoring contest. The average first innings total at this venue is 331. The curator has prepared the surface with the format in mind, ensuring a fast outfield and good entertainment for the spectators. Dew in the evening could give the chasing side an edge.
New Zealand has never won an ODI series on Indian soil. India, on the other hand, has a perfect record at this venue, winning all 7 of their previous ODI matches.
Looking back at the previous game, Irfan Pathan criticized Ravindra Jadeja's slow innings, saying that his strike rate of 60 was a reason for India's loss. He also highlighted Jadeja's lack of a fifty in ODIs since 2020 and his poor bowling figures in the last five games.
Both teams are likely to field their strongest elevens for this series-deciding match. The toss will be at 1:00 PM, and the match will commence at 1:30 PM.
Predicted Playing XI:
- India: Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy/Ayush Badoni, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna/Arshdeep Singh.
- New Zealand: Henry Nicholls, Devon Conway, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell (c), Mitchell Hay (wk), Zakary Foulkes, Kristian Clarke, Kyle Jamieson, Jayden Lennox.
