India walk out at Seddon Park in Hamilton on Tuesday knowing a win seals the ODI series with two games to spare — their first one-day series triumph in New Zealand since 2018-19.
The visitors lead the five-match series 2-0, but neither win has come easily. Virat Kohli’s majestic knock carried them home in the opener at Eden Park, and they edged the second game in Wellington by four runs on the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method after rain ended the contest with New Zealand on 134 and India on 113 for 7. The seamer-friendly conditions have tested every batter, and Hamilton promises more of the same.
For captain Shubman Gill, the third ODI carries extra weight: he will not play the last two games as he prepares for the two-Test series starting in Wellington on November 19, and KL Rahul will also sit out the final two matches. A series win here would let Gill hand over with the job already done.
Rohit Sharma’s form remains under scrutiny. The veteran opener has not looked comfortable against the new ball, and India will want runs from him before the series moves on. Kohli, meanwhile, arrives in Hamilton in a different mood after passing Ricky Ponting’s tally of ODI runs against New Zealand in Wellington — he now has 1,978 against the Black Caps.
The one selection question is whether Mohammed Siraj comes back into the XI. Siraj has not featured in the first two games after playing the second unofficial Test for India A, and Ajay Jadeja has suggested resting Arshdeep Singh to bring him in. “It’s not tactical, but to give someone a little rest,” Jadeja said on SonyLIV. “He (Arshdeep) has been playing consistently, and this is to get him (Siraj) back into the game.” Arshdeep took four wickets in the first ODI but went wicketless in Wellington.
New Zealand remain badly hit by injuries. Rachin Ravindra and Mark Chapman are both out, leaving Daryl Mitchell — who made 55 in Wellington — as their main hope with the bat. Santner’s side have fought hard in both games without getting over the line, and must win in Hamilton to keep the series alive.
The pitch and the weather could decide as much as either XI. Seddon Park offers seam movement and extra bounce in cold, wet conditions, and forecasts flag steady rain for Tuesday. Recent ODI first-innings scores at the ground have hovered around 240 to 245, and chasing sides have generally fared better — a third rain-curtailed game in a row is a real possibility.
The match starts at 7:30 AM IST, live on the Sony Sports Network and SonyLIV in India, with Doordarshan Sports also carrying it on DD Free Dish.
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