Match: India v New Zealand, 3rd ODI
Date: 23 October, Sunday
Time: 4pm SGT/1:30pm IST/9am BST
Venue: Punjab Cricket Association Stadium, Mohali
TV Coverage: The TV coverage of the 3rd ODI will be on Star Cricket.
Live Streaming: Hotstar
Overview
India take on New Zealand in the third One Day International of the five-match series on 23 October. The visitors, after being outplayed in the first four outings on the tour, including the first ODI, got back to winning ways in Delhi with a six-run victory over MS Dhoni's side.
A solid century from Kane Williamson helped New Zealand post 242 runs on the board after being asked to bat first. The Black Caps bowlers fought well against the dew and the Indian batsmen in the second innings to add spark to what had been a one-sided tour.
However, the New Zealand unit has to address batting concerns to sustain their success. While Tom Latham has been consistent at the top, his opening partner Martin Guptill's woes have not yet ceased.
Also, the middle order batsmen, including the likes of Ross Taylor and Corey Anderson, need to step up and support Williamson, who has been shouldering the responsibility of scoring big runs.
On the other hand, similar batting issues persist with the hosts as well. The over dependence on in-form Virat Kohli was on showcase in the second ODI, in which he got out early to leave the team struggling. Openers Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane have so far failed to give the team good starts at home.
While the return of all-rounder Suresh Raina is likely to boost the middle-order in batting-friendly Mohali conditions, captain Dhoni's inability to finish matches has hurt the team in the recent past.
In Delhi, the wicketkeeper-batsman scored a 65-ball 39 and got out at a crucial time after contributing to scoreboard pressure. The skipper, whose batting capabilities are on the wane, needs to rethink his chasing strategy that used to work in his favour.
The Mohali tie will likely decide the course of the ongoing ODI series and Williamson's men will want to make use of the momentum they have garnered to put more pressure on Dhoni and his team.
TV Schedule
Singapore: Star Cricket
India: Star Sports 1, Star Sports 3
New Zealand: Sky Sport
UK: Sky Sports
US: Willow TV
Team News
India
Possible XI: MS Dhoni (c & wk), Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Suresh Raina, Axar Patel, Amit Mishra, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav
New Zealand
Possible XI: Kane Williamson (c), Martin Guptill, Tom Latham, Ross Taylor, Corey Anderson, Luke Ronchi (wk), Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Trent Boult
