IND vs NZ: Here’s why Prasidh Krishna is not playing today’s game in Indore

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India have made a notable change to their playing XI for the third and final ODI against New Zealand at the Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore, leaving out pacer Prasidh Krishna. The decision was confirmed by India captain Shubman Gill at the toss, where the hosts opted to bowl first in what is a crucial series decider against New Zealand.

Winning the toss, India captain Gill elected to field, citing the nature of the surface and the challenge of chasing on a high-scoring ground like Indore. Gill highlighted that while dew was not expected to play a major role, the pitch looked good for batting, making it important to assess conditions early and then chase with clarity.

Gill also acknowledged areas where India need to improve, particularly during the middle overs. According to the skipper, the bowling unit must vary lengths better and look for wickets in the middle phase, as containing runs becomes difficult if partnerships are allowed to flourish.

The primary reason for Prasidh’s exclusion is tactical rather than fitness-related. India have opted to bring back left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh, replacing Prasidh in the playing XI. With Indore traditionally being a batting-friendly venue, India’s think tank felt that Arshdeep’s ability to swing the new ball and offer variation with his left-arm angle could be more effective, especially during the powerplay and at the death.

Gill confirmed at the toss that this was the only change in the Indian lineup, underlining that the decision was based on conditions and match-up requirements rather than any performance concerns surrounding Prasidh.

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India’s bowling attack for the decider features a mix of pace and spin, with Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep leading the fast-bowling duties, supported by Harshit Rana. Kuldeep Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja provide spin options, which could be crucial in the middle overs — an area Gill specifically pointed out as a focus for improvement.

By opting for Arshdeep, India have strengthened their options with the new ball while retaining enough depth to counter New Zealand’s aggressive middle order.

New Zealand (Playing XI): Devon Conway, Henry Nicholls, Will Young, Daryl Mitchell, Glenn Phillips, Mitchell Hay (wk), Michael Bracewell (c), Zakary Foulkes, Kyle Jamieson, Kristian Clarke, Jayden Lennox

India (Playing XI): Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harshit Rana, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj

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