India's Predicted XI vs New Zealand, 3rd ODI: Another Heartbreak For Arshdeep Singh?
With redemption in the eyes, Team India will be squaring off against New Zealand in the third and final ODI of the three-match series on Sunday.
With redemption in their eyes, Team India will square off against New Zealand in the third and final ODI of the three-match series on Sunday in Indore. After registering a comfortable four-wicket win in the series opener, India suffered a shocking seven-wicket defeat in the second match in Rajkot. With the series levelled at 1-1, both teams are expected to go all guns blazing in the decider. Ahead of the series finale, let's discuss India's probable Playing XI.
In the second match, India made a change to their lineup by bringing in Nitish Kumar Reddy in place of the injured Washington Sundar, who has been ruled out of the series. The selection was essentially a battle between Reddy and young star Ayush Badoni, with the former earning the spot.
Reddy provides seam-bowling insurance-though he has been used sparingly-and offers late-innings hitting power, while Badoni brings a tighter technique against spin and calmness in the middle overs.
The case for including left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh also strengthens in Indore, where variations rather than sheer pace often determine success.
Arshdeep's ability to swing the new ball, attack the stumps, and execute yorkers at the death gives India a different tactical dimension, especially against New Zealand's largely right-handed top and middle order.
His inclusion would also reduce the workload on the spinners during the middle and late overs, allowing India to rely more on pace-off deliveries, wide yorkers, and hard lengths-methods better suited to the Holkar Stadium than spin.
The challenge lies in determining whom he would replace. Mohammed Siraj's new-ball role makes him difficult to drop. The most likely trade-off would be either a spinner or pacer Prasidh Krishna, whose performances have not been up to the mark so far.
India's likely Playing XI: Shubman Gill (c), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna/Arshdeep Singh.
(With PTI Inputs)
India Cricket Team
New Zealand Cricket Team
Rohit Sharma
Virat Kohli
KL Rahul