Published: Jan 18, 2026, 10:02 AM (IST)
Edited: Jan 18, 2026, 10:25 AM (IST)
With the ODI series evenly poised at 1-1, India and New Zealand are set for a high-stakes showdown in the third and final ODI on Sunday, January 18, at the Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore. After New Zealand bounced back strongly in the second ODI, everything now comes down to this series decider.
The final match carries extra significance for the visitors, who are chasing history. A victory in Indore would give New Zealand their first-ever ODI series win on Indian soil, coming just two years after they secured their maiden Test series triumph in India.
Despite losing the second ODI, India head into the decider with plenty of confidence. Captain Shubman Gill has looked assured at the top of the order, while vice-captain Shreyas Iyer has found his rhythm with the bat.
Virat Kohli continues to show consistency, and KL Rahul has chipped in with valuable cameos in the middle and lower order.
Former captain Rohit Sharma will be keen to make a bigger impact in the series finale. After getting starts in both matches but failing to convert them into big scores, Rohit will be eager to play a defining innings in this must-win encounter.
India’s pace attack has been effective across the first two ODIs, but the spin department is yet to make a major impact. With the Indore surface traditionally offering assistance to spinners, the hosts will hope their slow bowlers can step up and play a decisive role.
With the series on the line and history within reach for New Zealand, fans can expect a high-intensity contest as both teams give everything in the final ODI in Indore.
The India vs New Zealand 3rd ODI will be played on Sunday, January 18. The match is scheduled to start at 1:30 PM IST, with the toss taking place at 1:00 PM IST in Indore.
Fans can watch the India vs New Zealand 3rd ODI live on the Star Sports Network. Live streaming will be available on the JioHotstar app and website.
Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (w), Ayush Badoni, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Dhruv Jurel, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravindra Jadeja
Devon Conway (w), Will Young, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell (c), Zakary Foulkes, Nick Kelly, Josh Clarkson, Michael Rae, Kyle Jamieson, Mitchell Hay, Adithya Ashok, Kristian Clarke, Jayden Lennox
