🏏New Zealand vs India 3rd T20I in Guwahati @ 7 PM IST🏏

🏏New Zealand vs India 3rd T20I in Guwahati @ 7 PM IST🏏

As India wrapped up the chase well ahead of time in Raipur, New Zealand wicketkeeper Tim Seifert borrowed Suryakumar Yadav's bat, turned it over in his hands to get a feel before returning it. It was a telling moment in a series that has left the visitors searching for explanations, as India's batting depth and abilities have caused disbelief. Score 190 in a chase and lose by a deflating margin of 48 runs. Score 200+ batting first, and watch it get polished off with 28 balls to spare - the most in a T20I involving full-member teams.

And yet, New Zealand were not entirely out of place. For long stretches in Raipur, they looked set for a score well beyond 200, but were then reeled in. Mitchell Santner later admitted his side knew of the tweaks needed to be made to compete against India at their home. "We probably have to go a bit harder, knowing that 200 or 210 isn't enough anymore," he said. The visitors have the right ideas and tools for success in this part of the world, without currently being able to put it all together and sustain it.

India, meanwhile, sit at the other end of this spectrum. The final stretch before a World Cup title defence at home has begun dreamily. Abhishek Sharma is batting like it is still 2025, Rinku Singh has seamlessly returned to finishing duties, and Suryakumar Yadav's training ground touch finally spilled over to a live match situation. India's batting flex has been such that the other central figure in Raipur, Ishan Kishan, does not project as a first-choice starter when the World Cup arrives next month.

Once again, only a travel day separates the second game and the third, but India won't mind it. It allows for a quick continuation of their momentum. For New Zealand though, a day of short flights and layovers from Raipur to Guwahati is likely to come with a fair bit of introspection on the go.

When: India vs New Zealand, 3rd T20I, January 25, 7:00 PM IST

Where: Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Guwahati

What to expect: Another high-scoring game? The last T20I at this venue, in November 2023, saw India score 222 and Australia chase it down with 23 smashed off the last over.

Team News:

India

If Axar Patel is fit and ready to return, he and Jasprit Bumrah should be back in Guwahati.

Probable XI: Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel/Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah/Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Varun CV

New Zealand

After a harrowing night in Raipur, Zakary Foulkes might make way for Kyle Jamieson, who is now part of the World Cup squad in place of the injured Adam Milne.

Probable XI: Tim Seifert, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Mark Chapman, Daryl Mitchell, Mitchell Santner, Kyle Jamieson, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Jacob Duffy

Did you know:

-India have a win-loss record of 42-5 in 47 completed T20I since January 2024

-After the last T20 World Cup in 2024, New Zealand have not won a single T20I they've played against Australia, England and India (8 played, 5 lost, 3 NR)

-Sanju Samson has got out inside the PowerPlay in 7 of the 8 innings he has opened since January 2025

-Since Asia Cup 2025, Shivam Dube is India's fourth highest wicket-taker. His SR of 12.6 is bettered only by Kuldeep Yadav, among bowlers who have bowled at least 10 overs.

Big picture - India flex their muscle and depth

India ticked some key boxes in the second T20I in Raipur: Suryakumar Yadav ended his T20I fifty drought and Ishan Kishan seamlessly slotted into Tilak Varma's slot. In the absence of Jasprit Bumrah, who was rested, and Axar Patel, who is nursing a finger injury, Kuldeep Yadav reunited with Varun Chakravarthy and put the skids under New Zealand despite the early onset of dew in Raipur.

Most other teams might find it tough to replace a versatile batter like Tilak, but India had Kishan walking in for the first over. By the time he walked back for 76 off 32 balls, India had zoomed ahead in a chase of 209. Suryakumar then went on to outscore Kishan and eventually made a mockery of the target. Unless the conditions change drastically after losing the toss, or there's a freakish performance from the opposition, India will remain the favourites for the 2026 T20 World Cup.

New Zealand are still waiting to put their full-strength XI out on the park as the World Cup approaches. Finn Allen, who is on a six-hitting spree in the Big Bash League (BBL), will link up with the side after featuring in the final for Perth Scorchers; he will likely be available for only the final T20I in Thiruvananthapuram. Fresh off winning the Bangladesh Premier League, allrounder Jimmy Neesham will also join the New Zealand side ahead of the third T20I in Guwahati. Fast bowler Lockie Ferguson has already joined the team, but is working his way back from a calf injury.

In the spotlight - Shivam Dube and Rachin Ravindra

From once being a back-up for Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube has established himself as one of the main players in India's world-beating XI. While spin-hitting is his forte, he has also grown more comfortable against pace and offers handy overs with the ball. He has picked up at least one wicket in six of his last seven bowling innings.

T20 cricket is Rachin Ravindra's weakest format, but on Friday, he showed attacking enterprise in the powerplay. He pumped Varun for two sixes in the middle overs and scored 44 off 26 balls at a strike rate of 169.23, which is around thirty points above his career strike rate in T20s. New Zealand will want Ravindra to keep up this aggression and crack this format too.

Team news - Bumrah, Neesham could return

India may consider bringing Bumrah back as they push for a series win in Guwahati. There's no official update yet on the status of Axar's injury.

India (probable): 1 Abhishek Sharma, 2 Sanju Samson (wk), 3 Ishan Kishan, 4 Suryakumar Yadav (capt), 5 Shivam Dube, 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Rinku Singh, 8 Harshit Rana/Jasprit Bumrah, 9 Kuldeep Yadav/Axar Patel, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Varun Chakravarthy

Neesham is likely to return to the New Zealand XI in place of Zak Foulkes, who had a chastening outing in Raipur, where he conceded 67 runs in three overs for no wickets.

New Zealand (probable): 1 Tim Seifert (wk), 2 Devon Conway, 3 Rachin Ravindra, 4 Glenn Phillips, 5 Daryl Mitchell, 6 Mark Chapman, 7 Mitchell Santner (capt), 8 Jimmy Neesham, 9 Matt Henry, 10 Jacob Duffy, 11 Ish Sodhi

Pitch and conditions - Another run-fest on the cards?

The two most recent T20Is in Guwahati produced run-fests. 237 played 221 four years ago while 222 played 225 more recently in 2023. Will Guwahati serve up another high-scoring fixture? The dew could be a factor, influencing the team that wins the toss to bowl first. The weather is expected to be fine for the duration of this game.

Stats and trivia - Kuldeep has Chahal in sight

• India hunted down 209 on Friday, achieving their joint-highest successful T20I chase.
• Kuldeep is four wickets away from drawing level with Yuzvendra Chahal as the joint-highest wicket-taker among India spinners in T20Is.
• Since the end of the 2024 T20 World Cup, Jacob Duffy has taken 22 wickets in 25 innings in the powerplay in T20Is at an economy rate of 6.55. Only Zimbabwe's Richard Ngarava (25) has more wickets than Duffy in the powerplay during this period, with the benefit of more innings (35).

Thanks for the tag Parm.

One more win to get the trophy and boost the confidence.

Cheers..

Thank you for the tag ☺️

Good luck to Team India

Win this one and get the trophy 🏆

Thank you Parm for the thread and for tagging me.

Best wishes to both the teams and a bit more for Indian team.