Ind vs NZ 3rd ODI Live: India vs New Zealand Decider at Indore

The India vs New Zealand ODI series reaches its decisive moment today with the 3rd ODI at Holkar Stadium, Indore. After India clinched a tense four-wicket win in the 1st ODI at Vadodara and New Zealand roared back with a seven-wicket thrashing in Rajkot, the series hangs in the balance at 1-1. The winner claims the bilateral trophy in a rare three-match rubber.

India aim to extend their unbeaten home ODI streak since January 2019 (longest ongoing in men’s cricket) and defend their perfect 7-0 record in ODIs at Indore. New Zealand seek their first-ever bilateral ODI series victory on Indian soil after seven previous failed attempts across formats.

Pitch, Weather & Toss Strategy

Holkar Stadium’s pitch is renowned as one of India’s most batting-friendly venues. Average first-innings score in ODIs here is ~331, with teams batting first winning 5 out of 7 matches historically, though evening dew remains a threat.. Expect 350+ totals possible if batters dominate early. Short square boundaries and flat surface favor stroke-makers.

Weather forecast: Sunny, 24–28°C, humidity 40–50%, no rain threat. Dew is likely to set in after sunset, making the team batting second heavily favored.

Toss at 1:00 PM IST – the captain winning it will almost certainly elect to field first.

Probable Playing XIs & Key Battles

India (probable): Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh.
Possible changes: Varun Chakravarthy or Ayush Badoni for extra spin if dew is heavy.

New Zealand (probable): Devon Conway, Will Young, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Hay (wk), Michael Bracewell (c), Zakary Foulkes, Kristian Clarke, Kyle Jamieson, Jayden Lennox.
Bracewell may retain captaincy despite injury concerns; Rachin Ravindra rested for T20I prep.

Key battles:

• Rohit Sharma vs Kyle Jamieson: Rohit’s form vs NZ pace spearhead.
• Virat Kohli vs Michael Bracewell: Kohli’s mastery over spin in middle overs.
• Daryl Mitchell vs India’s spinners: Mitchell’s 100 in Rajkot vs Jadeja/Kuldeep.
• Dew factor: If chasing, NZ’s middle order could explode.

Historical Context & Stakes

Indore has been a fortress for India—7 ODIs, 7 wins, including famous chases and high scores. The venue last hosted ODIs in 2023 (vs Australia). This is the final ODI before India’s long break for Champions Trophy prep and IPL.

New Zealand have never won an ODI series in India. A victory would be historic for the Black Caps and a major confidence boost ahead of their home summer.

Fan buzz is massive—trending searches for “IND vs NZ live score”, “Indore pitch report”, “playing XI today” dominate Google and social media in India.

India vs New Zealand LIVE, 3rd ODI! 🏏🇮🇳🇳🇿 The series decider is here at Holkar Stadium, Indore! Follow all the updates as Kohli, Rohit & team take on the Black Caps in a winner-takes-all clash. #INDvsNZ

— Firstpost Sports (@FirstpostSports) January 18, 2026

Team India are all set for the 3rd ODI against New Zealand in Indore! 🔵🏏 #INDvNZ #CricketTwitter

— InsideSport (@InsideSportIND) January 18, 2026

Catch every ball live on HotBuzz.in – ball-by-ball commentary, key moments, player stats, and post-match analysis. Who lifts the trophy in the Indore decider?