IND vs NZ 2026: 3rd ODI, India vs New Zealand Match Prediction – Who Will Win Today?
India face New Zealand in a high-pressure Indore ODI decider, with India’s perfect home record and series win at stake.
India’s strong home record is under real pressure as they head into the third and final ODI against New Zealand in Indore. After years of dominating visitors, India have been pushed hard by South Africa and now by a New Zealand side missing several first-choice players.
The ODI series stands level at 1-1. India won the opener in Baroda, while New Zealand bounced back in Rajkot with a sharper all-round show. The decider at Holkar Stadium has turned into a high-stakes contest, one that Mohammed Siraj compared to a World Cup final.
Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate has admitted India are trying new ideas in bilateral series. Still, he made it clear that losing is not acceptable and the team wants visiting sides to fear playing in India again.
New Zealand have clearly outplayed India in key phases so far. Their lesser-known spinners, including debutant Jayden Lennox, have been especially impressive and even outbowled India’s experienced spin attack in Rajkot.
Holkar Stadium, Indore, remains a big reason for Indian confidence. India have won all seven ODIs played here, often posting huge totals. Short boundaries and a flat pitch are expected again, which should suit stroke-makers on both sides.
India could tweak their bowling attack, with Arshdeep Singh likely to come in for Prasidh Krishna. Nitish Kumar Reddy is under pressure to justify his place, while Ravindra Jadeja faces competition from Axar Patel.
For New Zealand, this match is a rare opportunity. Despite missing several ODI regulars, they are chasing a first-ever ODI bilateral series win in India. Daryl Mitchell, Kyle Jamieson and Jayden Lennox will be central to their plans.
Stats add more spice to the contest. New Zealand have been excellent against spin in the middle overs, while India have struggled at the death. Virat Kohli, though, has looked more aggressive at the start of his innings since the South Africa series.
Match Details
| Match | India vs New Zealand, 3rd ODI |
| Series | New Zealand tour of India, 2026 |
| Date & Time | Sunday, 18 January 2026, 1:30 PM (IST) |
| Venue | Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore |
| Broadcast & Live Stream | Star Sports Network & JioHotstar app/website |
Holkar Cricket Stadium Pitch Report
The pitch at Holkar Stadium is expected to be flat and true, with the ball coming nicely onto the bat and offering even bounce throughout the match. With short boundaries and a quick outfield, batters should enjoy value for their shots, and fours and sixes are likely to flow freely.
Fast bowlers may get a hint of swing with the new ball in the first few overs, but that help usually fades quickly. Spinners are unlikely to find much turn, though they could have some role once the pitch slows slightly in the middle overs. Dew later in the evening is expected to make life tougher for bowlers, especially in the second innings, and could push captains towards chasing.
India vs New Zealand Head to Head Records ahead of 3rd ODI
| Matches Played | 122 |
| Won by India | 63 |
| Won by New Zealand | 51 |
| Ties | 1 |
| No Result | 7 |
India vs New Zealand Recent Form (Last 5 Matches)
| Team | Last Five Matches | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| India | L | W | W | L | W |
| New Zealand | W | L | W | W | W |
India vs New Zealand Predicted Playing XIs
India
Shubman Gill (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (Wicketkeeper) Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh
New Zealand
Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Hay (Wicketkeeper), Michael Bracewell (Captain), Zakary Foulkes, Kristian Clarke, Kyle Jamieson, Jayden Lennox
India vs New Zealand Toss Prediction
The toss could play a key role at Holkar Stadium, with captains likely to prefer chasing. The flat pitch, short boundaries and quick outfield make batting easier as the game goes on, while dew in the evening is expected to make it hard for bowlers to grip the ball in the second innings. With only brief help for fast bowlers early on and little assistance for spinners, teams may want to bowl first, limit damage upfront, and then back their batters to take full advantage under lights.
India vs New Zealand Match Prediction – Who Will Win?
India head into the Indore decider with slightly better winning chances, mainly because of their unbeaten ODI record at Holkar Stadium and the batting-friendly conditions that suit their top order. With Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli enjoying such surfaces, India will back themselves to post or chase a big total. New Zealand have been competitive and fearless despite a second-string squad, and their spinners and Daryl Mitchell have kept them in the fight, but defending or controlling a game here under dew will be tough. If the match turns into a pure batting contest, India may just have the edge over New Zealand.
