India face a major rethink of their bowling strategy ahead of the series-deciding third ODI against New Zealand at Holkar Stadium in Indore on Sunday, after their spinners were outplayed and their batting unit struggled against the visitors’ slow bowlers in the first two matches. With the series locked at 1-1, the management may tweak the XI to counter New Zealand’s aggressive approach on a ground known for its short boundaries and high-scoring games.

Kuldeep Yadav’s struggles in Rajkot

The second ODI in Rajkot exposed India’s middle-overs weakness as Kuldeep Yadav was hammered by Daryl Mitchell, who smashed a boundary and a six in his first over, which went for 14 runs and denied the left-arm wrist-spinner any rhythm. Mitchell used his feet effectively to negate the turn and swept Kuldeep repeatedly, a strategy that worked brilliantly for New Zealand’s batters in the Test matches too. Kuldeep leaked runs consistently and received little support in the field, with Ravindra Jadeja missing a direct hit and Prasidh Krishna dropping a catch off his bowling, giving Mitchell two lives. The visitors’ batters clearly had a plan against India’s spinners, and the home team now needs to counter that with smarter execution.

Indore’s batting paradise demands discipline

Holkar Stadium in Indore is famous for its short boundaries and batter-friendly surfaces, where mis-hits often sail over the fence. This puts a premium on disciplined bowling rather than mere variation. India’s spinners, especially Kuldeep, will need to bowl flatter, attack the stumps, and use the bigger pockets of the ground rather than offering flight that can be easily exploited. Controlling lengths and cutting down boundary options will be critical on Sunday, and the management may consider changes to offset the risks of bowling spin on such a venue.

Washington Sundar’s absence felt

The absence of injured Washington Sundar was clearly felt in Rajkot, while his replacement Nitish Kumar Reddy bowled just two overs. Sundar was ruled out of the ODI series after suffering a rib injury during the first match in Vadodara, becoming the third Indian player to pick up an injury in this series alongside Rishabh Pant and Tilak Varma. Based on conditions, Ayush Badoni, who bowls off-spin, could be a better fit in the XI instead of Reddy, but it remains to be seen if the team management drops him after just one match.

Arshdeep Singh could come in

The team management may strengthen the pace attack to offset the risks of bowling spin at a small ground like Holkar Stadium. Left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh could be given a look-in, with Prasidh Krishna the likely player to make way despite not doing badly in the first two games. The reason for Prasidh potentially missing out is his back-of-length bowling, which can be exploited on a ground with short boundaries, whereas Arshdeep’s fuller length and ability to swing the new ball could be more effective. Early wickets with the new ball will be crucial to prevent New Zealand from building a platform similar to the one they enjoyed in Rajkot, where Mitchell and Will Young added 239 runs for the third wicket.

Batting unit unlikely to change

With the bat, India are unlikely to tinker with their core group. Shubman Gill, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and Shreyas Iyer remain central to the hosts’ plans. KL Rahul is in excellent form after scoring an unbeaten 112 in the second ODI, though his knock went in vain as New Zealand chased down 284 with seven wickets in hand. At Holkar, where totals can spiral quickly, India will need early breakthroughs, tighter middle-overs bowling, and smarter use of angles and fields. With the series on the line, execution rather than experimentation is likely to define India’s approach.

India’s perfect record at Holkar Stadium

India have an imposing record at the Holkar Stadium, having won all five of their previous matches at the venue against England in 2006 and 2008, West Indies in 2011, South Africa in 2015, and Australia in 2017. The Indian team skipped practice on Friday, while the Kiwis sweated it out despite it being an optional session, showing their determination to pull off a historic series win in India.