![India faces New Zealand, the 3rd ODI will be played in Indore [Source: viratdiaries_/X.com]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1768630640034_HolkarStadiumIndore.jpg?type=hq)
India faces New Zealand, the 3rd ODI will be played in Indore [Source: viratdiaries_/X.com]
India will host New Zealand in the third and final ODI of the ongoing series at the Holkar Stadium, Indore, on Sunday, January 18.
Heading into the clash, the series is well-poised at a scoreline of 1-1 after the visitors clinched the second ODI in Rajkot on Wednesday to spice things up on the tour. This also happens to be the final ODI assignment for both teams for the next few months, as the focus completely shifts to T20Is and the T20 World Cup in February and March.
IND vs NZ 3rd ODI preview
India started the ODI series in Baroda with a tricky run-chase of 301 runs, after fifties for Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls and Daryl Mitchell in the first innings. Captain Shubman Gill and vice-captain Shreyas Iyer had returned to the squad after missing the South Africa series, and the duo did not disappoint, scoring 56(71) and 49(47), respectively.
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The ever-consistent Virat Kohli just missed his century by 8 runs, while KL Rahul and Harshit Rana scored to give the finishing touches to the game. Mohammed Siraj also returned to the ODI series with a fine spell of 2/40, alongside Harshit Rana's 2/65 and Prasidh Krishna's 2/60 in the opener.
In the second ODI, Gill once again got a score of 56(53) but soon India collapsed, and NZ put a stem to the run-flow. However, KL Rahul's another fine knock of 112*(92) meant India reached 284/7 in 50 overs.
Unfortunately for the hosts, the Kiwis cruised past the target, courtesy of a masterful 131*(117) for Daryl Mitchell and 87(98) for Will Young, who helped the visitors level the series. Backing up Kyle Jamieson's 4/41 in the first ODI, which landed India in trouble during the chase, Kristian Clarke took 3/56 in the second ODI, while Zak Foulkes, Jayden Lennox and Michael Bracewell have bowled impressive spells across the two fixtures.
Holkar Stadium, Indore Pitch Report for IND vs NZ 3rd ODI
| Criterion | Details |
| Matches played | 7 |
| Won by the team batting first | 5 |
| Won by the team bowling first | 2 |
| NR/Tied | 0/0 |
| Average first innings score | 292 |
The last time an ODI match was played at the Holkar Stadium, the first innings score made by India was 399/5, similar to the game before that, when they got 385/9 and won both their matches batting first.
The recent record at the venue is a clear indicator that the pitch is good for teams winning the toss and deciding to bat first on a hard and flat surface in the afternoons. Seamer will have some help for the first few overs; however, the bounce remains consistent, making it easy for the batters to gauge and tread accordingly once they face 10-15 balls on the wicket.
As the game progresses, the spinners will have some assistance late in the match, especially with the new rule, where the ball gets old and soft towards the end, making it difficult to score off smart spin bowling.
Holkar Stadium, Indore Weather Report for IND vs NZ 3rd ODI
| Criterion | Details |
| Temperature | 28° (RealFeel 28°C) |
| Wind | W 9km/hr |
| Probability of precipitation | 1% |
| Cloud cover | 6% |
According to AccuWeather.com, the forecast for the series decider between India and New Zealand promises a seamless 100-over game, with close to no rain predicted along with clear skies throughout the day. The 9 km/hr winds are expected to stay consistent throughout the day.
The 28° C temperature is another indicator that the conditions will support batters throughout the day. The dew will not play much of a role in favour of the team batting second, and spinners will also stay in the game.
Overall, the match-going fans can expect a great game of cricket without any interruptions and possibly witness a century or two, including one for Virat Kohli, who is chasing the record.
Conclusion
Considering the weather forecast and history of the venue, the team batting first will be at an advantage to clinch the match and the series. While the conditions will keep the pitch more or less the same throughout the game, the chasing team will have an outside chance to be in the game, but is highly likely to play catch-up for most periods in the fixture.
Teams can also rope in the third spinner into the XI if they want to try out a different combination, without hurting their chances here.
