Live Cricket Score: India v New Zealand, third ODI, Indore

Yet another clean-sweep!

In what turned out to be a run-fest at the Holkar Cricket Stadium, the 212-run opening stand between Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill, alongside Shardul Thakur's all-round effort helped India clean-sweep the three-match ODI series versus New Zealand 3-0. The visitors managed 295 in pursuit of a monstrous target of 386.

New Zealand needed a quick start but they didn't get one as Finn Allen chopped Hardik Pandya's short of a length ball onto the stumps; paying the price for hanging back in the crease. Devon Conway (100-ball 138) and Henry Nicholls, though, counter-attacked with a 106-run second wicket stand. The duo brought out the scoop, pull, slog-sweep, alongside using their feet to put some pressure back on the Indian bowlers.

Just in the nick of time, Kuldeep Yadav trapped Nicholls in front with the skidder. Despite losing his batting partner, Conway continued to play with freedom, bringing out the slog-sweep, reverse sweep and occasionally chipping down the track to counter Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav. At 184 for 2, in 25 overs, New Zealand were very much in the hunt. But Thakur bowled a game-breaking spell to put India in pole position.

Thakur employed the cross-seam short ball to remove both Daryl Mitchell and the dangerous Glenn Phillips. He also dismissed Tom Latham with an attempted knuckle ball. In the 32nd over, New Zealand were dealt a hammer blow as they lost their centurion, Conway, chipping Umran Malik to Rohit at midwicket. Michael Bracewell (26) and Mitchell Santner made useful contributions but the duo couldn't repeat their heroics from the first ODI as the visitors were eventually bowled out in the 42nd over.

Conway too falls

Devon Conway too has been dismissed. End of a splendid knock. The southpaw flicked one from Umran midwicket where Rohit pouched the catch. Michael Bracewell then was stumped off Kuldeep Yadav.

India just three wickets away from clean-sweeping another series.

Cometh the hour, cometh Shardul

You never know what you get with Shardul Thakur. But he can prove to be a game-changer. We have seen it in the past. Mitchell gloved a short ball to the 'keeper and then the seamer dismissed Latham with the knuckle ball, the very next delivery. He followed it up by removing the dangerous Glenn Phillips with a cross-seam short of a length ball.

Two in two and New Zealand are suddenly five down!

Conway's impressive ton

Just like that, Conway has cracked a 74-ball 102!! He reached his hundred with a couple of sixes off Chahal. In great conditions for batting, he has explored all corners of the ground and never allowed the Indian bowlers to get into a rhythm so far.

Kuldeep strikes!

The skidder is turning out to be a useful weapon for Kuldeep. Just when Nicholls and Conway were threatening to put on a massive stand, the wrist spinner has broken the alliance by trapping the former in front.

Conway, Nicholls counter-attack

Drive, scoop, cut, slash - Conway and Nicholls have counter-attacked. Umran and Shardul coming under some pressure. Good recovery after the early setback.

Early setback

Finn Allen continues to hang back/play on the back foot. And pays the price yet again. He has chopped Hardik onto the stumps. New Zealand are off to worst possible start.

The Gill-Rohit show

On a small ground, and in batting friendly conditions, it rained fours and sixes in the first 30 overs. In just the fifth over of the innings, Gill and Rohit cracked a six each - hook and loft - to give India a quick start. In the 8th over, Gill proceeded to cut, drive and steer Lockie Ferguson as 22 runs were added. Rohit matched Gill stroke-for-stroke, pulling and lofting Jacob Duffy.

India reached their 100 in just the 13th over, with both Rohit and Gill completing their respective fifties. The duo took a heavy toll on Daryl Mitchell's medium pace, with the all-rounder going at over 10 an over. Ultimately, in the 26th over, Rohit completed his hundred - his first ODI ton since January 2020. In the same over, Gill too reached the landmark - his third hundred in his last four ODIs.

At that time, it felt as if India could even target 450 but New Zealand did well to put a few brakes on hosts' scoring rate by making regular incisions. Rohit looked to slog across the line and was castled by Michael Bracewell, while Blair Tickner dismissed Gill with the slower short one. Virat Kohli did play a cameo (27-ball 36) and also strung together a partnership of 38 with Ishan Kishan before a mix-up saw the latter being run out.

Duffy followed it by removing Kohli. By then, the track too had slowed down a touch as New Zealand's into the wicket bowling, alongside variations in pace resulted in the wickets of Suryakumar Yadav and Washington Sundar. At that juncture, with a mixture of lap, slice, pull and slogs, Shardul Thakur and Hardik Pandya strung together a timely alliance of 54 in just over five overs to ensure New Zealand would have to chase down a daunting target.

New Zealand whittle away

New Zealand continue to whittle away. Kohli has mistimed a loft into the hands of Finn Allen. Suryakumar then chipped one to long-on. It hasn't been that easy to play shots against the old ball.

India losing a bit of steam here. Although they are still in a great position.

Now a mix-up...

A mix-up has resulted in Ishan Kishan's wicket but with the score reading 268 for 3 in just under 35 overs, India are in pole position.

Some respite for New Zealand

Eventually, eventually... New Zealand have taken a wicket!! After reaching his ton, Rohit tried to slog Bracewell across the line but was castled. Gill then cracked another ODI ton. He is turning out to be a run-machine in ODIs.

However, Gill was soon dismissed by Blair Tickner's slower short ball. Tickner has been New Zealand's best bowler so far.

Video game?

It continues to rain four and sixes in Indore. A dot ball is like an oasis in desert at the moment. In the last four overs itself, one has seen 46 runs. It feels as if some video game is being played out there.

Brilliant exhibition of batting from Gill and Rohit.

300?

Rohit, Gill up the ante

With the ball hardly doing anything in the air or off the deck, it was just a matter of time before India pressed the accelerator pedal. In the 8th over, Gill cut, drove and steered Lockie Ferguson as India collected 22 in a single over. Rohit soon joined the fun by pulling and lofting Duffy into the stands. Gill also reached his fifty in the 12th over.

43, 33, 95, 60, 72, 100* - Opening stands of Rohit and Gill.

400? 450 on the cards?

Fine start for India

Short-sized boundaries and a flat pitch. About two balls have swung so far. The batters are set to enjoy the conditions. Perhaps not the bowlers. New Zealand have been tidy enough, when one considers the point that the conditions are great for batting. However, Rohit and Gill still have made a solid start. The straight six cracked by Rohit off Duffy turning out to be the highlight of the stand so far.

Toss and teams:

New Zealand have opted to bowl. They could have batted first in batting-friendly conditions. India have picked Umran and Chahal, with Shami and Siraj missing out.

Rohit Sharma | India Captain: We would have batted first, as a team we want to get out and play well. It is a great ground to play in, everyitme we come here it has been a good score. What is important to give chance to some of the new guys who haven't had a game and see how they go. We have got two changes - Shami and Siraj are out, Umran and Chahal are in.

Tom Latham | New Zealand Captain: We are gonna have a bowl, it is a good surface and it will get better under lights. We have put good performances in the past and will look to put another good performance here. It will be high-scoring and the nature of the boundaries are short. We have got one change, Doug Bracewell comes in for Henry Shipley

Teams:

India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma(c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Ishan Kishan(w), Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Umran Malik

New Zealand (Playing XI): Finn Allen, Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Daryl Mitchell, Tom Latham(w/c), Glenn Phillips, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Lockie Ferguson, Jacob Duffy, Blair Tickner

Prelude:

Another ODI win. And yet another series victory for India. The Indian team's juggernaut at home continued as they crushed New Zealand by 8 wickets in the second ODI in Raipur to seal the series 2-0.

On a pitch that provided a bit of assistance for the pacemen, Mohammed Shami and co. ripped through the New Zealand batting unit. Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill then strung together a stand of 72 to more less seal the deal.

Will India rest a few of their players for the final game? Can New Zealand take positives from the series by winning the last match at a ground where batters have generally found success?

All the action in a few minutes...

Look of the pitch:"Not the biggest stadiums going around. 60-61m on the sides, 69m straight and just 54 behind the stumps. It is going to be tough for the bowlers," says Danny Morrison. Ajit Agarkar adds, "You saw a bit of joy for the Indian pacers up front. I don't think that is going to be the case here. There is an even covering of grass through the middle of the pitch to hold it together and as the evening progresses, the ball will only skid on. Bare patches closer to the batters but I don't think it is going to matter because the pitch looks very firm and good for batting. If anything, because it's an afternoon start, might hold on a bit in the start of the innings, but it will only keep getting better and it's a batting day."