Overview
- The ODI series is level at 1–1 after New Zealand’s seven‑wicket win in Rajkot, with the deciding match set for January 18 in Indore.
- Ravichandran Ashwin criticised the management for benching Arshdeep Singh in the first two ODIs and urged that the left‑arm quick be given a secure place to protect his confidence.
- Team decisions were explained as workload and planning for the T20 World Cup, but reports indicate Arshdeep is being considered for the Indore XI, potentially in place of Prasidh Krishna.
- Ravindra Jadeja’s lean ODI returns drew fresh scrutiny after Rajkot, with Kris Srikkanth advocating for Axar Patel as a better spin all‑rounder option at present.
- Analysts highlighted India’s spin struggles, including Kuldeep Yadav’s ineffective middle‑overs spell, and Mohammad Kaif questioned Nitish Kumar Reddy’s role as India assess balance for Holkar’s batting-friendly conditions.