India vs New Zealand 2017: India's predicted playing XI for third ODI

All-rounders

One of India's most important players

Hardik Pandya has had a relatively quiet series, with two wickets and 46 runs from two matches. However, he has shown in the past that he has the ability to explode into life and is arguably one of India's most important players in the limited-overs format. With only two frontline seamers in the side, Pandya will have quite a bit of responsibility if one of them gets taken for runs.

Axar Patel replaced Kuldeep Yadav for the second ODI after sitting out the first and put in a decent shift, picking up the important wicket of Tom Latham just as New Zealand were looking to rebuild their innings. What Axar offers to the Indian team that Kuldeep doesn't is additional firepower lower down the order and with the struggles of India's middle-order recently, they need as much depth in the batting department as they can muster.