‘India must play with best eleven’: Sunil Gavaskar reveals star player who will miss Indore match against New Zealand

Like the India vs New Zealand ODI series reaches its thrilling climax, the focus has shifted to the high-stakes decider in Indore. After a dominant start from India in Vadodara, the Black Caps roared back in Rajkot to level the series at 1-1, turning the final match into a virtual knockout. With the series on the line, the team management faces a huge selection dilemma between sticking with the tried and tested or introducing fresh blood. Legendary opening line Sunil Gavaskar has taken a closer look at the situation and suggests that the pressure of a series finale will dictate India’s strategy. The Holkar Stadium is known for its high-scoring matches, but the fear of losing a home match could force India to play it safe.

Sunil Gavaskar expressed his surprise at New Zealand’s comfortable victory

After India’s unexpected seven-wicket defeat in Rajkot, Gavaskar expressed surprise at how comfortably New Zealand chased down the target. He noted that the slow nature of the pitch should have been to the advantage of the Indian bowlers Daryl Mitchell’The century’s brilliance dismantled that hope.

Gavaskar emphasized that because the series is now level, the Indian team has lost the wiggle room it would have needed to test its bench strength. The luxury of trying out new combinations is gone and the focus must now be purely on winning the trophy. Gavaskar stressed that the pressure will be immense in Indore as New Zealand have never won an ODI series in India and will smell blood. For India, the third ODI is no longer a Test game; it’s a game of survival.

“I was surprised by how easily New Zealand got over the line because before they started batting, everyone thought India could take advantage of the inertia of the pitch. With their bowlers, not just the spinners, but all of them, using the inertia of the surface well, it felt like India could have restricted New Zealand to around 260 or 270. I thought that would have been an easy win for India.” Gavaskar was quoted by NDTV Sports.

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Gavaskar names one Indian player who will miss the Indore ODI vs New Zealand

The main casualty of this must-win approach will likely be the consequences Yashasvi Jaiswalthe explosive left-hander that many fans wanted to see in the playing XI. Despite being in incredible form across formats, Jaiswal is on the sidelines as the team continues to back the regular opening pair.

Gavaskar stated that had India secured the series in Rajkot, Jaiswal would almost certainly have been given a point in Indore to showcase his white-ball skills. However, with the series tied at 1-1, the veteran believes that the management cannot afford to take any risk by dropping an established artiste. This situation leaves Jaiswal, a player considered by many as a future cornerstone of the ODI squad, waiting in the wings once again.

“If India had won this match, they would have had the freedom to experiment a bit. Maybe they would have given a chance to players who had not played yet. Someone like Jaiswal could have also been given a chance. Gavaskar said all this could have been possible, but now they cannot take any risk. They have to play with their best XI.” Gaváskar concluded.

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