IND vs NZ 3rd ODI: The second match of the ODI series between India and New Zealand was played on Wednesday (January 14) at the Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot. Despite scoring 284 runs, the Indian team suffered a defeat. The third match of the series will now be played at the Holkar Stadium in Indore, serving as the series decider.
Whichever team wins this match will take home the trophy. The playing XI for India in this crucial match is also almost finalized. It is believed that Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana might be dropped from the Indore ODI, and two other players could take their place in the squad.
IND vs NZ 3rd ODI: Prasiddh Krishna and Harshita Rana likely to be benched.
The reason for India’s humiliating defeat in the Rajkot ODI is being attributed to the very ordinary bowling of Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana. Although Harshit Rana bowled exceptionally well in the first five overs, he was hit for a lot of runs in his second spell.
While Harshit gave away only 17 runs in the first five overs, he conceded 35 runs in the last 4.3 overs. This suggests that he is not very effective with the old ball, which is why he might be dropped from the third ODI.
Besides Harshit, Prasidh’s place in the team could also be in jeopardy. He conceded 49 runs in the 9 overs he bowled in the Rajkot ODI, while taking only one wicket. This is why the team management might drop both these players from the Indore ODI.
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— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) January 15, 2026
Ayush badoni likely to debut in the IND vs NZ 3rd ODI.
If Prasidh Krishna and Harshit Rana are dropped from the IND vs NZ 3rd ODI. Then Arshdeep Singh and Ayush Badoni could get a chance. Arshdeep Singh could be included in the playing XI in place of Prasidh Krishna, and he could prove to be a trump card for India with both the new and old balls.
Arshdeep took 7 wickets in the two matches he played in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26, including a five-wicket haul. Meanwhile, Ayush Badoni could replace Harshit, as he possesses the ability to score aggressively with the bat and also take wickets with his off-spin bowling.
The match to be played at the Holkar Stadium in Indore on Sunday (January 18) will be crucial for both India and New Zealand, as the team that wins this match will lift the trophy.
This match will also be very important for captain Shubman Gill’s career, as questions have been raised about his captaincy ever since he was appointed captain. If India loses this match, the pressure on Shubman’s captaincy could increase significantly.
This series will also be extremely important for coach Gautam Gambhir’s coaching career. Given how dominantly New Zealand performed in the second ODI, the third match is expected to be a thrilling and high-stakes encounter.
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