Can England avoid whitewash against dominant India? 3rd ODI preview
What's the story
The stage is set for the third and final ODI between India and England at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
The match will be played on February 12 with India leading the series 2-0.
The home side eyes a clean sweep while England hopes to salvage some pride before the upcoming Champions Trophy.
Here we present the match preview.
Match recap
Summary of the 2nd ODI
In the second ODI, England opted to bat first and posted a challenging target of 304 runs.
Openers Ben Duckett and Phil Salt provided their side with a solid start, while Joe Root also chipped in with a half-century.
Liam Livingstone's quick-fire knock propelled England to this competitive total.
However, India's successful chase was powered by captain Rohit Sharma's stunning 32nd ODI century and Shubman Gill's half-century.
Pitch analysis
Narendra Modi Stadium pitch report
Traditionally, the pitch at the Narendra Modi Stadium has been slow and spinner-friendly.
However, in recent matches, we have seen a change in its nature with high-scoring matches becoming the norm.
Both India and England have explosive batters in their lineups, so fans could be in for another high-scoring encounter in the final ODI of this series.
Weather update
Weather forecast for the final ODI
The weather forecast for the final ODI suggests clear skies with no chance of rain in Ahmedabad on February 12.
The maximum temperature could reach 31 degrees Celsius while the minimum could drop to 15 degrees Celsius.
The humidity level is expected to be around 38% and winds will blow at a speed of 13km per hour.
Information
Where to watch?
The Star Sports Network will broadcast the third ODI live, while live-streaming is available on the Disney+ Hotstar app. The match begins at 1:30pm IST.
H2H
India lead head-to-head record against England in ODIs
India and England share a rich history, having clashed in 109 ODIs.
The Men in Blue have won 60 games while England own 44 wins. Two matches have ended in a tie (NR: 3).
At home, the hosts have won 36 of the 54 ODIs against the Brits while losing 17 (NR: 1).
India last whitewashed England in an ODI series in 2011, at home.
Line-ups
Probable playing XIs for the 3rd ODI
India (Probable XI): Rohit Sharma (c), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Ravindra Jadeja, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Shami, Varun Chakravarthy.
England (Probable XI): Philip Salt (wk), Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, Jamie Overton, Gus Atkinson, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood, Saqib Mahmood.
Players
Key players to watch out for
Shreyas Iyer, who left a mark with his match-winning knocks, is expected to shine again.
While Shubman Gill made fifties in the first two matches, Rohit announced a return to form with a hundred in the last game.
Joe Root, who made a fifty in his second ODI, will again want to score big in Ahmedabad and help England avoid a whitewash.
Veteran spinner Adil Rashid will hold the key for England.
Poll
