Overview
- Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate said Washington Sundar was selected for this ODI series primarily as a batting all-rounder, noting conditions will not allow India to bowl extensive spin.
- Ravichandran Ashwin publicly pressed for role clarity, arguing Sundar should be treated as a frontline bowler who can bat and be given his full quota of overs.
- Sundar has returned 13 and 1 with the bat and bowled only seven overs without a wicket across the first two ODIs, after being used at No.5 in Ranchi and No.6 in Raipur.
- India emphasized match-ups and dew in limiting spin overs, while coaches said Sundar is still learning and has been working in nets on late-overs power hitting under Gautam Gambhir and Sitanshu Kotak.
- The series is level at 1-1 heading into the December 6 decider in Visakhapatnam, with debate over alternatives such as Nitish Kumar Reddy or Rishabh Pant for finishing duties in Hardik Pandya’s absence.