India reach the series finale against Australia A comeback was needed at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday after two consecutive defeats in Perth and Adelaide to clinch the three-match series. head coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Shubman Gill Significant tactical adjustments are expected to be made to restore confidence and momentum ahead of the upcoming T20I stage.
Kuldeep Yadav will probably replace Washington Sundar in the last ODI.
The most significant changes are likely to involve replacement washington beautiful with -Kuldeep YadavMany former players were surprised by his exclusion from the first two games. Kuldeep has been India’s leading limited-overs spinner since finding his rhythm earlier this year, yet he has not bowled a single ball in this series so far.
her stunning asia cup 2025 A campaign where he took 17 wickets in seven matches with poor economy underlined his form, while his total of 181 ODI wickets at an average under 27 reflects his consistency. experts like Irfan Pathan And Parthiv Patel It has been argued that India’s preference for an additional batting option on Kuldeep has weakened his wicket-taking ability in the middle overs. They emphasize that his variations and left-arm wrist spin can challenge Australia’s right-handed heavy batting lineup more effectively than Sundar’s off-spin.
Sundar’s figures in this series support that view. He bowled only two overs in Perth and took one wicket, and although he improved slightly in Adelaide by taking two wickets for 37 runs, his batting returns were minimal. His overall ODI record against Australia remains modest with eight wickets in nine matches.
India’s preference is to stock its lower order with all-rounders like Sundar. Akshar PatelAnd Nitish Kumar Reddy The bowling firepower has diminished, especially during the phases when Australia’s young middle-order was dominant. matthew short And cooper connolly When the Indian spinners failed to break partnerships, they repeatedly took advantage of it, exposing India’s lack of control in crucial overs. In such a situation, Kuldeep’s inclusion becomes a strategic necessity rather than an experimental move.
Failure to bat increases pressure on leadership
While the bowling depth is under review, India’s batting weaknesses have equally contributed to their downfall. Virat KohliRare collapses, including consecutive zeroes for the first time in his ODI career, have hurt India’s consistency. Both new ball bowlers were out. Mitchell Starc And Xavier Bartlett Highlighted his conflict with the early movement.
Gill’s form has also declined as India look for leadership at the top with scores of 15 and nine. Rohit SharmaA composed 73 in Adelaide offered a brief respite after rigorous fitness work ahead of the tour, showing glimpses of his old form. Shreyas IyerA fluent 61 cemented his growing credibility at number four while Patel’s 44 added depth to the lower order. KL Rahul And Suryakumar YadavHowever, India will need to convert the start into impressive innings to ensure a defendable total on the batting-friendly SCG surface.
Changes may also be seen in the bowling attack. Harshit RanaAdelaide could open doors to high-end travel Prasidh Krishna Whose height and seam movement is suitable for the conditions of Sydney. Mohammad Siraj And Arshdeep Singh He is likely to retain his place after an impressive spell with the new ball, while Patel will continue as the second spinner. With India determined to avoid elimination and achieve glory, the third ODI promises to test their adaptability ahead of the intense T20I series starting next week.
India’s probable eleven for the third and final ODI
Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wicketkeeper), Kuldeep Yadav, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj.
Also read: Glenn Maxwell has returned to Australia’s T20 team for the last three matches against India.
