WI vs IND 2022: 3 Indian players who will hold the key in the third ODI 

India are unlikely to take their foot off the pedal despite winning their 12th consecutive ODI series win against the West Indies (the most against a team).

With another whitewash on the cards, the Men in Blue will go all guns blazing when the two teams meet on Wednesday (July 27) for the third ODI at Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad.

Both contests have been close, with the tourists finding new heroes emerging to guide them home on both occasions. The bowlers, led by Mohammed Siraj, delivered at the death to win the first ODI by just three runs while Axar Patel starred with the bat to seal the fate of the series in the next game.

Considering that the series has already been won, the visitors could now be encouraged to tinker with their playing XI in the third match to test their bench strength.

Ahead of yet another exciting contest, let's take a look at three Indian players who will hold the key in the third ODI on June 27:

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#3 Mohammed Siraj

Leading the bowling pack brings the best out of Mohammed Siraj and that's exactly what he has shown in the ongoing series against West Indies.

The Hyderabadi speedster has been impressive in the first two games, putting the Caribbean batters under pressure from time to time. In the opening encounter, Siraj picked up two crucial scalps of Shai Hope and Nicholas Pooran before exhibiting brilliant death bowling skills to win the game for India.

While the speedster didn't get any wickets in the second ODI, he was economical, giving just 46 runs in his quota of ten overs. With no Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami in the team, the tourists will be hoping that Siraj can maintain his momentum and finish the series on a high.

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#2 Axar Patel

Axar Patel will be raring to contribute once again for India when he takes the field in the third ODI. He was exceptional in the last game, with both bat and ball.

He was economical with the ball and even picked up the wicket of Shamarh Brooks.

Axar then exploded with the bat during the chase, bailing India out of trouble and scoring a fantastic 35-ball 64. He targeted certain bowlers, clobbering three fours and five maximums, including the winning six off Kyle Mayers in the last over.

The Gujarat all-rounder has been consistent with his left-arm spin in international cricket. However, his match-winning innings at Queen's Park on Sunday showed that he can stamp his authority with the bat as well.

He could be expected to continue the good showing in the third ODI, especially with the bat and bail India out in case of a collapse.

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#1 Shubman Gill

A player with sheer class and flamboyance, Shubman Gill was given a look-in in the opening slot despite having Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad in the squad. The young batter repaid the faith shown in him by the management, scoring 107 runs in two games.

Gill provided the visitors with steady starts, thanks to his ability to find gaps and dominate the opposition bowlers. He has struck at a rate of 104.9 in the series, including a 53 ball-64 in the first ODI.

In the absence of first-choice openers Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul, Gill should make full use of his opportunity and make a strong case for himself. His free-flowing striking will once again be crucial for India if they want to pile up a huge score on the board.