After sealing the series 2-0, India will play the next ODI in Rajkot on Wednesday (September 27). With star players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Hardik Pandya set to return in the third ODI, India will finally be able to put their strongest playing XI ahead of the World Cup. With Shreyas Iyer, and KL Rahul also back to full fitness, India will now be eyeing a 3-0 series whitewash.
In the second ODI, Shubman Gill and Iyer scored sparkling hundreds, while KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav scored blazing fifties. In the bowling, India ticked major boxes, with Ravichandran Ashwin picking three wickets and reserve bowler Prasidh Krishna picking two wickets.
With Rohit, Kohli, and Pandya set to play the third ODI, the reserve players like Prasidh and Ruturaj Gaikwad won’t be part of the playing XI. Pandya will slot in place of Shardul Thakur, who has been rested for the third ODI. The match is set to take place in Rajkot, let’s look at the pitch for the third and final ODI.
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The pitch in Rajkot is expected to follow the same template as was witnessed in the two ODIs in Mohali and Indore – batting heaven for batters. The ground is bigger than Indore, but the pitch here is an absolute belter for batters. Runs will come thick and fast, as the boundaries are short on either side.
On this ground, three ODIs have been played all the times teams batting first have won the match. The average score on this deck is 312. The only time India did not score 300 on the Rajkot surface was during the ODI against South Africa last year when India failed to chase down 270.
Rajkot ODI Numbers
Highest Team Total: 340/6 by India vs Australia in 2020 Lowest Team Total: 252/6 by India vs South Africa in 2015 Highest Run Chase: NA (All three ODIs won by team batting first) Lowest Total Defended: 270/7 by South Africa vs India in 2015 Average 1st Innings Score: 312
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