India captain Shubman Gill chose to field first after winning the toss in the third and deciding One Day International against New Zealand at Indore on Sunday, setting the stage for a high-stakes finish to the three-match series.
With the series locked after two contrasting games, both teams entered the final encounter eyeing a decisive victory. India had dominated the opening match, but New Zealand bounced back strongly in Rajkot, where Daryl Mitchell’s composed century guided the visitors to a series-levelling win and kept the contest alive.
Explaining the decision at the toss, Gill said the team wanted to test itself under pressure by chasing. He noted that while heavy dew was unlikely to play a major role, bowling first would give India a clearer idea of the target. The Indian skipper also acknowledged the need for better execution during the middle overs, identifying variations in length as a key area for improvement after the previous defeat. India made one change to their playing combination, bringing back left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh in place of Prasidh Krishna.
New Zealand captain Michael Bracewell said his side would have preferred to bowl as well but felt the pitch looked good for batting. Calling the match an exciting opportunity, he highlighted the significance of potentially clinching their first ODI series win on Indian soil. Bracewell also expressed confidence in the younger players in the squad, noting that they had adapted well to the international stage and now faced the challenge of delivering under pressure. The visitors retained the same XI from the second ODI.
The decider promised a compelling contest between two evenly matched sides, with India aiming to assert dominance at home and New Zealand seeking a memorable series triumph.
Teams
India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj.
New Zealand (Playing XI): Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Hay (wk), Michael Bracewell (c), Zakary Foulkes, Kyle Jamieson, Kristian Clarke, Jayden Lennox.
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