What

The third ODI between an Indian team that can do no wrong and a New Zealand side hoping to turn things around immediately.

When

December 4, 2010. The game begins at 9.00 am, IST.

Where

Reliance Stadium, Vadodara

The teams:

Having won the first two ODIs, India are comfortably placed to wrap up the series. What further improves their chances of pulling off a series win in Vadodara is the return of Zaheer Khan to the ODI squad. Even Praveen Kumar makes a return, though who will captain Gautam Gambhir sit out to include Kumar remains to be seen. If anything, India’s bowling at the death is an area of concern, with the last 16 overs in Jaipur yielding as many as 121 runs.

New Zealand’s fortunes are in stark contrast. They need to win every game from here on, if they are to win the series. The bowling has lacked penetration, with the Indians milking them at will in Jaipur. Captain Daniel Vettori was blunt in his assessment at the end of the last game, saying the side should have bowled better if they expected a different result. The batsmen have batted well in parts – Ross Taylor (66) doing well in Guwahati and Martin Guptill (70) and Scott Styris (59) shoring up the side in Jaipur. What is required, though, is for all the batsmen to fire in the same game. With the team in dire need of a win, Brendon McCullum should return to the side, a change which would make the Kiwis a better balanced squad.

The venue (quick facts):

First ODI: 1994

ODIs hosted: 9

India record: Wins - 5 – Losses - 3

New Zealand record: Wins- 1 – Losses - 1

Highest Total: India 341/3 v West Indies – January 31, 2007

Lowest Total: India 148 all out (39.4 overs) v Australia – October 11, 2007

Highest score: Sachin Tendulkar – 122 v South Africa - March 17, 2000

Best bowling figures in an innings: Mitchell Johnson: 10-0-26-5 v India – October 11, 2007

The Teams (probable playing XIs):

India: Gautam Gambhir (c), Murali Vijay, Yuvraj Singh, Saurabh Tiwary, Virat Kohli, Yusuf Pathan, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra and Munaf Patel.

New Zealand: Daniel Vettori (c), Brendon McCullum (wk), Jamie How, Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Scott Styris, Kane Williamson, Nathan McCullum, Andy McMay, Kyle Mills, and Tim Southee.