Prasidh Krishna out; Will KL Rahul drop Gambhir's favourite? IND strongest XI for 3rd ODI vs SA

India should drop Prasidh from playing XI for 3rd ODI vs SA [Source: AFP]

On Wednesday, South Africa crushed India by four wickets in the second ODI in Raipur to level the series. Chasing 359, South Africa comfortably went past the finish line, with Aiden Markram, Matthew Breetzke and Dewald Brevis. 

India mustn't take the defeat in Raipur casually, as they lost the game comprehensively despite posting a massive total. So, as the stage is set for a cracking decider in Visakhapatnam, here we analyse to find out India's strongest potential combination for this match. 

Prasidh Krishna on the verge of exclusion from IND XI

Prasidh Krishna was mediocre with the ball in the second ODI against South Africa. The right-arm pacer went for 85 in just 8.2 overs, leaking runs at an economy of 10.20. Overall, he has managed only three wickets in two matches, registering an abysmal strike rate of 31. 

So, considering the South African batters have effectively neutralised Prasidh Krishna, India should drop the fast bowler for the decider in Visakhapatnam. Given that the pitch at the ACA-VDCA cricket stadium will be flatter than the tracks in Ranchi and Raipur, Krishna's exclusion will allow India to strengthen their lineup with an additional batting option by including Nitish Reddy. 

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Will KL Rahul drop Washington Sundar?

(Washington Sundar's record in IND vs SA ODIs)

As evidenced by the above stats, Washington Sundar has had two consecutive poor outings in the ODI series. Despite the Gautam Gambhir-led management's backing, India's experiment to allot Sundar the number five slot has been a disastrous move. The off-spinner has failed to bag a single wicket while conceding runs at an ordinary economy of 6.57. 

However, as India don't have enough all-round options, they might give Sundar another opportunity to prove his mettle in the ODI format. 

How Nitish Reddy's return could stabilise India's lineup?

The ODI series between India and South Africa has witnessed a run-fest by batters from both sides. The batting sides have breached the 300-run mark on all four occasions, with bowlers playing a marginal role on batting-friendly decks. Considering the pitch at the ACA-VDCA stadium in Visakhapatnam will favour the batters, India should bring Nitish Reddy to resolve their finishing woes. 

If Prasidh Krishna is benched, Nitish can give India a genuine sixth bowling option, with Jadeja, Kuldeep, Arshdeep, Harhit and Sundar playing as the other five bowlers. 

Thus, they can delay the entry of Sundar, who has miserably flopped with the bat and use Reddy as their finisher with skipper KL Rahul and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. If Reddy plays, he should be India's go-to man at six, followed by Jadeja and Sundar, depending on the match situation. As Harshit can also chip in with quick-fire cameos, Reddy's inclusion will ensure batting depth and flexibility with the ball for India in the all-important decider. 

India's strongest XI for 3rd ODI vs South Africa

Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KL Rahul (WK/C), Nitish Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh

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