Shubman Gill for India (Source: AP Photos)
After gaining an unassailable lead in the series, India will now march out to enforce a clean sweep over England when they face them in the 3rd ODI to be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on 12th February 2025, Wednesday. This thrilling encounter will be the final game of the ODI series and will be played from 1:30 PM IST.
India
With skipper Rohit Sharma returning to form in the second ODI with a brilliant century, India have their guns up and will be aiming to challenge England for a whitewash to ensure they go into the Champions Trophy 2025 with complete confidence. Shubman Gill has been in top-notch form, while Shreyas Iyer and Axar Patel have displayed resilience with the bat.
The bowling is mainly focused around Ravindra Jadeja, who has been exceptional with the ball, especially in this series. The rest of the side has been doing extremely well with contributions coming from almost every batter, as they have managed to chase on two consecutive occasions successfully. India's bowling also seems decent at this stage. However, they will want to ensure there are no chinks in their armour before the global event.
England
England, conversely, have too much to think ahead of their Champions Trophy campaign. But, considering their previous match, their batters came out well, especially Ben Duckett, Joe Root, and Liam Livingstone, putting in the effort to challenge the Indian bowlers with a decent total on the board, however, that did not prove enough as Indian batters ran home comfortably. Phil Salt has been doing well with the bat, while skipper Jos Buttler already has a fifty in this series.
With Jacob Bethell ruled out of this series and Champions Trophy, England will have to find a run from Harry Brook especially. The bowling, meanwhile, has been struggling so far, with wickets not coming easily. However, with experience on their side, they can challenge the opposition well. In the previous game, Jamie Overton was the best performer with two wickets and 27 runs in his five overs, while the rest of the bowlers proved to be a tad bit expensive.
Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad - Pitch Report for 3rd ODI
The pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad has generally been a flat one. However, the last game that was played there back in the 2023 World Cup turned out to be a slow track. The pitch here favours the batters more and gets better for batting as the match progresses, especially under lights.
The team batting first would want to ensure they put up at least 280 on the board to make it difficult for the side batting second. Meanwhile, the chasing side will get the advantage here, with dew coming in as a factor. On the other hand, the spinners will get some turn before the dew arrives, as the pitch slows down a bit on many occasions. Therefore, the team winning the toss will likely bowl first at this venue.
Top 3 Captain and Vice-Captain Choices for IND vs ENG
3. Shubman Gill
Why Will Shubman Gill Be A Good Choice As The Captain Or Vice-Captain?
Top-Class Form: India's Shubman Gill has been in top-notch form in this series, with two consecutive half-centuries to his name against England. The right-hander has amassed scores of 87 and 60, respectively, while in his overall career, he has 2,475 runs at an impressive average of 58.92 in 49 matches. Striking at 101.60, he has 15 half-centuries and six centuries to his name.
Consistent Batter: Gill has been a consistent performer for the Indian side for the past few years, with his performances only improving. His ability to anchor the innings and then take on the charge makes him an excellent option for any side to have in their lineup. The right-hander is known to play big knocks and is usually a great player of spin. He has an outstanding forward defence and uses his feet perfectly to take on the opposition bowlers, as this will be his 50th ODI game. Hence, we can consider him as the captain or vice-captain of the side if he sets his foot in.
2. Joe Root
Why Will Joe Root Be A Good Choice As The Captain Or Vice-Captain?
Experienced Customer: England's Joe Root is an extremely crucial option when choosing your fantasy side. Root, who has experience playing in a whopping 173 ODI matches, has over 6,610 runs in his career, where he has averaged 47.15 while striking at 86.75. To go along with that, the right-hander has 40 half-century scores and 16 hundreds to his name. With this much experience, he can easily be considered the most suitable option.
Highly Adaptable: Coming fresh off a brilliant half-century in the last game, Root smashed four fours in his 72-ball 69-run innings to take his side to a respectable total. With great skills and technique, he has the ability to adapt to different conditions, especially when it gets difficult for other batters. In the 18 matches he has played in India, Root has 659 runs at an average of 41.18 on Indian soil. Therefore, without a doubt, Root should be considered for captain or vice-captain of the side.
1. Rohit Sharma
Why Will Rohit Sharma Be A Good Choice As The Captain Or Vice-Captain?
Fresh Off A Century: The great hitman, Rohit Sharma, finally roared back to form after a series of poor runs with the bat. He broke the jinx with a brilliant 119 off just 90 deliveries against England in the second ODI, smashing seven whopping sixes and 12 fours while batting at a strike rate of 132.22. Being in this form, he can easily manipulate the opposition bowlers and continue his good form going into the Champions Trophy 2025.
Aggressive Opener: Regarding his experience, Rohit is a highly aggressive opener for the side. He has featured in 267 ODI matches and has managed to score 10,987 runs, averaging 49.26, where he struck runs at a rate of 92.70 in his overall career. Adding to this, he has 32 centuries and 57 half-century scores to his name. So, without a doubt, Rohit is a great option to be picked as captain or vice-captain of the side.
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