Shubman Gill Elects to Bowl First in Decisive ODI Against New Zealand

In a crucial third ODI match against New Zealand, Indian captain Shubman Gill won the toss and chose to field first. This match is pivotal as it will determine the series winner after New Zealand leveled the series in Rajkot. Both captains shared their thoughts on the match conditions and strategies, with Gill emphasizing the need for improvement in their bowling. The playing XIs for both teams have been announced, setting the stage for an exciting showdown. Stay tuned for more updates on this thrilling encounter.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jan 18, 2026, 13:38 IST

Match Overview

On Sunday, Indian captain Shubman Gill won the toss and chose to field first in the third and final ODI against New Zealand held in Indore. This match serves as the series decider after New Zealand leveled the series by winning the second ODI in Rajkot, where Daryl Mitchell's impressive century led them to victory.

Captains' Insights

"We discussed this strategy. New Zealand has put us under pressure, which is what we expected. Although there isn't much dew anticipated, we prefer to bowl first and set a target to chase. We need to adjust our lengths during the middle overs, which is an area for improvement. We have made one change: Arshdeep returns in place of Prasidh," said Shubman Gill after the toss.

"While we would have opted to bowl first, the pitch appears favorable for batting. This is a crucial match for us to secure our first ODI series win in India. The new players are adapting well to international cricket, but the pressure is on now, and it's an excellent opportunity for them to showcase their best performance. No changes have been made to our lineup from the last match," commented New Zealand captain Michael Bracewell.

Playing XIs

New Zealand (Playing XI): Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Hay(w), Michael Bracewell(c), Zakary Foulkes, Kyle Jamieson, Kristian Clarke, Jayden Lennox.

India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill(c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul(w), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj.