![India vs New Zealand 3rd ODI will be played on January 18 [Source: BCCI/X.com]](https://onecricketnews.akamaized.net/parth-editor/oc-dashboard/news-images-prod/1768638609162_ShubmanGillMichaelBracewellINDNZ.jpg?type=hq)
India vs New Zealand 3rd ODI will be played on January 18 [Source: BCCI/X.com]
India and New Zealand lock horns in the third and final ODI of the ongoing New Zealand tour of India in Indore, on Sunday, January 18, with the series in balance at 1-1 after the visitors comfortably defeated India in Rajkot, chasing 285 runs, courtesy of a brilliant century from Daryl Mitchell to cancel out KL Rahul's first innings rescue knock.
The visitors have a unique opportunity to achieve an unprecedented feat and win their first-ever ODI series away from home against the Indians, much like their Test series win in 2024, while India would want to bounce back from the last defeat to continue the momentum into the T20I series.
IND vs NZ current form (last 5 ODIs)
| Team | Form |
| India | W, L, W, W, L |
| New Zealand | W, W, W, L, W |
IND vs NZ: Player Battles
Virat Kohli vs Kyle Jamieson
The world number 1 batter Virat Kohli is coming into the final match of the series in good form after scoring 7 fifty-plus scores in last 8 outings in fifty-over cricket. However, for years now, Kyle Jamieson has troubled Virat, especially early in his innings with his swing bowling and extra bounce that he generates across formats. Before the third ODI, he had gotten the better of Virat in 5/11 innings.
Shreyas Iyer vs Jayden Lennox
The 31-year-old left-arm orthodox bowler, Jayden Lennox, who made his debut in the 2nd ODI, was fantastic with his 1/42 (10) spell in the middle overs, keeping things tight from his end, which helped NZ restrict India to 284 runs. Shreyas Iyer, who bats in the middle overs, will have the onus on him to make sure the run flow is not stemmed in the 10-40 overs. How he fares against a left-arm spinner will be crucial for the match.
Daryl Mitchell vs Kuldeep Yadav
Kuldeep Yadav has picked 3 wickets in one innings at the venue, and he has had an interesting battle against Daryl Mitchell for a considerable amount of time. Mitchell has done well against the left-arm wrist spinner so far, manipulating his lengths in with tactics, which were on display in the 2nd ODI.
The bowler has dismissed Mitchell in 3/8 white-ball face-offs, and the battle could play a big factor in deciding the winner of this series.
IND vs NZ top performers
Most runs for IND vs NZ in ODIs (current players)
Virat Kohli has scored 1773 runs in 35 innings against New Zealand at an average of 55.40 and a strike rate of 95.57. He also has 6 hundreds and 10 fifties against the opposition in ODIs.
Most wickets for IND vs NZ in ODIs (current players)
Among the current set of Indian players, Kuldeep Yadav has scalped 26 wickets in 15 innings against the Blackcaps, with an average of 29.46 and at an economy of just 5.8. His best figures read 4/39.
Most runs for NZ vs IND in ODIs (current players)
The centurion from the last match, Daryl Mitchell, has scored 604 runs against India in ODI cricket. He has three hundreds and two fifties, averaging 67.11 at a strike rate of 95.56 in the encounters.
Most wickets for NZ vs IND in ODIs (current players)
From the Kiwis roster, Kyle Jamieson has picked the most wickets against India in ODIs. He has 10 wickets in 6 innings, including best figures of 4/41 and has an economy rate of just 4.92 runs per over.
IND vs NZ toss prediction
So far in the series, both matches have been won by teams batting second. However, considering the record of the venue, teams batting first have had a better record. India has piled up close to 400 runs twice in two outings in 2023. Similarly, the team winning the toss will look to bat first on a hard and flat Indore surface and try to put on a good first innings total.
IND vs NZ: 1st innings score prediction
Powerplay - 56/0
Final score - 355/6
IND vs NZ: 2nd innings score prediction
Powerplay - 52/1
Final score - 320/8
IND vs NZ top players prediction
India's top player prediction
Shreyas Iyer, Kuldeep Yadav
New Zealand's top player prediction
Jayden Lennox, Daryl Mitchell
Who will hit the most sixes in IND vs NZ 3rd ODI?
Daryl Mitchell
Who will hit the most fours in IND vs NZ 3rd ODI?
Shubman Gill
IND vs NZ Match winner prediction: Who will win the 3rd ODI?
The Kiwis have never beaten India in an ODI series in their entire cricketing history and stand at an interesting juncture, with most of their key players rested for the T20I series and the subsequent T20 World Cup. They have also done considerably well in the first two matches, taking the first match down to the wire and eventually levelling the series in Rajkot.
However, India is a well-drilled ODI unit and haven't lost an ODI series at home since March 2023. Going in with a full-strength line-up, India stand the better chance to clinch the match and the series.
