New Zealand vs India 3rd ODI prediction, lineups and Seddon Park pitch report — who will win?

The third One Day International between India and New Zealand at Seddon Park in Hamilton promises to be a crucial match in the series, as India aims to break New Zealand's home winning streak in ODIs. Shreyas Iyer takes over the Indian captaincy from Shubman Gill, who is stepping down after this match. New Zealand, on the other hand, must decide on their lineup as several key players are unavailable due to injury.

India holds a significant advantage in the current series, winning both games so far, while New Zealand has not lost a home ODI series against India since 2019. The pitch at Seddon Park, which received only half a day of preparation, is expected to be a challenging surface for batters with plenty of seam movement for the bowlers. The unpredictable weather forecast further adds to the uncertainty.

India's top-order players, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Shubman Gill, have consistently delivered runs, but New Zealand's batting lineup faces several challenges, including the absence of injured players Rachin Ravindra and Mark Chapman. Meanwhile, New Zealand's bowlers will rely heavily on Mitchell Santner and Kyle Jamieson, who are targeting the fourth ODI despite recent concussions.

The toss becomes a crucial factor, as India has won the toss in all their previous encounters against New Zealand in this format. India's bowlers have historically performed well under these conditions, while New Zealand's batting lineup has struggled at home against India.

Considering all the factors, the Cricket News Prediction favors India to win the third ODI. However, the unpredictable nature of the pitch and weather conditions could still lead to an unexpected upset.