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New Zealand captain Tom Latham won the all-important toss and elected to bowl first in the third and final ODI on January 24 (Tuesday) at the Holkar Stadium in Indore. India have already clinched the series but the dead-rubber is important as the Men in Blue will become the number one ranked side in the 50-over format with a win in Indore, Rohit Sharma made two changes to the playing XI as Mohammed Shami and Mohammed Siraj were replaced by Umran Malik and Yuzvendra Chahal. Latham made one change to the Black Caps' playing XI as Jacob Duffy replaced Henry Shipley.
India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Umran Malik
New Zealand (Playing XI): Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham(w/c), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy, Blair Tickner
With a series sweep in sight, the middle order will be eager to give a better account of themselves. the home team is aware that despite enjoying an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, Shubman and Rohit have been the only two batters among runs for the hosts.
At the same time, it is also a fact that the others haven't been tested and the dead rubber will be the perfect opportunity for the likes Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav to get some batting practice in match situations.
Kohli's problem against left-arm spin has come to the fore once again as the talismanic batter has repeatedly gotten dismissed by Mitchell Santner.
After notching three hundreds in four innings, the former skipper was dismissed cheaply in both the ODIs as New Zealand's star left-arm spinner exposed the chinks in Kohli's armour. With the World Cup just months away, Kohli would be keen for some much-needed course correction.
Squads
India: Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan (wk), Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Suryakumar Yadav, KS Bharat (wk), Hardik Pandya (vice-captain), Washington Sundar, Shahbaz Ahmed, Shardul Thakur, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Mohammed Siraj and Umran Malik.
New Zealand: Tom Latham (captain), Finn Allen, Doug Bracewell, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Daryl Mitchell, Henry Nicholls, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Santner, Henry Shipley, Ish Sodhi and Blair Tickner.
