India will look to take an unassailable lead in the five-match series when they take on Australia at the JSCA International Stadium in Ranchi on Friday. The hosts lead the series 2-0 courtesy of their wins in Vizag and Nagpur respectively. Let’s take a look at India’s likely XI for this crunch clash -

Rohit Sharma

Vice-captain Rohit Sharma hasn’t been in the best of form in his recent outings. The opening batsman has notched 30-plus scores, but is struggling to middle the ball on a consistent basis. The Mumbai batsman will certainly look to spend more time in the middle and get into the groove ahead of the World Cup.

KL Rahul

India’s back-up opener KL Rahul is likely to get a couple of chance to impress in the 50-over format and he could be included in the side in place of regular opener Shikhar Dhawan, who hasn’t had a good time in the series so far. Rahul impressed in the two-match T20I series and will be expected of doing the same in ODIs as well.

Virat Kohli

Skipper Virat Kohli slammed his 40th ODI ton in the last match and is looking in great form. Kohli recently returned into the side after being rested so he will definitely be a part of the team in Ranchi. The Indian captain will look to fire India to a series win in the third ODI itself with the help of another stunning batting display.

Ambati Rayudu

Ambati Rayudu has failed to come up with the goods since his score of 90 runs in the fifth ODI against New Zealand. The number four batsman will be certainly looking to strike form ahead of the World Cup. If Rayudu fails for the third time in a row, the Indian team management might start looking for alternatives for this crucial batting position.

MS Dhoni

Wicket-keeper-batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni had a poor outing in the second ODI where he was dismissed for a golden duck. But behind the stumps he was as steady as ever as he took the two catches that came his way. Nagpur performance was a rare failure for Dhoni in recent times as he continues to stay on top of his game before the World Cup. Moreover, MSD will be eager for a good show in front of fans in his hometown.

Kedar Jadhav

All-rounder Kedar Jadhav failed with the bat but did well with the ball in second ODI where he was one of the most economical Indian bowlers. Jadhav is a good batsman and also a very handy bowler and this is what makes him so crucial for India in the limited-over formats.

Vijay Shankar

All-rounder Vijay Shankar had one of his best performances in India shirt last time and he will be looking to build on it in Ranchi. Shankar held his nerves to take two wickets in the final to fire India to a famous win in Nagpur. The team management will be looking to give him more chances to impress further before the multi-national event in UK.

Ravindra Jadeja

Whenever all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has been called up in ODIs, somehow he has managed to deliver for the team. In the ongoing series, he has been one of the economical bowlers from the two sides and his ability to stop the flow of runs in the middle overs has come in very handy for the team. Jadeja is a good hitter of the ball as well and that tips the scale in his favour ahead of Yuzvendra Chahal.

Kuldeep Yadav

With five wickets in two matches, Chinaman Kuldeep Yadav is the leading wicket-taker of the series thus far. Kuldeep has figures of 2/46 and 3/54 in two matches and his ability to break partnerships has been vital for India in recent times. The team management will careful to not rest him and break his rhythm.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

Fast-bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar is expected to return into the side in place of Mohammed Shami for this clash. Bhuvneshwar was named in the squad for the final three ODIs and Ranchi could see the return of India’s first choice fast-bowling pair. The fast-bowler will be eager to return to form as soon as possible after a brief break.

Jasprit Bumrah

After an expensive outing in Vizag, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah showed his class in Nagpur where he finished with outstanding figures of 2/29. The number one ICC bowler in the world will be looking to build upon this performance with another scintillating display in the third ODI.

First Published: Mar 07, 2019 11:18 IST