Sunrisers Hyderabad bowling coach Varun Aaron suggested a change to India’s playing XI for the third ODI against New Zealand. The final game of the three-match series will be played on Sunday, January 18th in Indore. Varun Aaron urged the team to bring in left arm pacer Arshdeep Singh. He reckoned that picking wickets with the new ball would be key and he believes that Arshdeep Singh can do so.
Varun Aaron added that Arshdeep should play the third ODI as it is an important clash with the series on the line.
Varun Aaron suggests inclusion of Arshdeep Singh for the decider.Â
Speaking on JioStar, Varun Aaron said: “I think taking wickets with the new ball will be important. Bring Arshdeep Singh back. It is a decider. He takes wickets with the new ball whenever he plays. According to me, Arshdeep Singh should play this important game.”Â
For the record, India won the first ODI by four wickets at Vadodara. While New Zealand bounced back with a seven-wicket win in the second game at Rajkot. Therefore, the third ODI will be the series decider. Arshdeep has been on the bench so far in this series.
Arshdeep Singh can be lethal and vital with the ball in hand
For the record, India have played three pacers so far in the first two ODIs namely Mohammed Siraj, Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna. The pacers if we are being honest have not been as effective in terms of picking wickets with the new ball and even with the old ball as well.
Mohammed Siraj has bagged just two wickets at an average of 40.50. Harshit Rana has three wickets at an average of 39.00, while Prasidh Krishna also has three wickets with an average of 36.33. On the other hand, Arshdeep Singh has played 14 ODIs to date. The left-arm quick has grabbed 22 wickets at an average of 24.90 and an economy rate of 5.29. He is also in solid form as can be evidenced from the Vijay Hazare Trophy. He picked up seven wickets in two Vijay Hazare 2025-26 matches that he played for Punjab.
Arshdeep Singh returned with figures of 5/34 against Sikkim and 2/26 against Goa. Overall, in 44 List-A games, he has 75 wickets at an average of 23.96 and an economy rate of 5.15.
Should he get a game, Arshdeep’s wicket-taking ability, particularly with the new ball, will be crucial for India in the final ODI of the series. It remains to be seen whether Arshdeep gets an opportunity on Sunday with series on the line. It is very unfortunate that he couldn’t get a game in this series. The reasons told to us are workload management, rotating the squad and saving them for T20 World Cup 2026 starting soon and also the 5-match T20I series as well.
While rest is important, but too much of this workload is being made out now and with series on the line, it would do no harm if Arshdeep plays the final ODI. He should not be afraid of getting injured and the team management must include him in the XI. Chances are that he will not be included as he is not a yes man, and Gautam Gambhir the head coach has his own personal biases against them.
If India desires to win the series, then Arshdeep Singh should play in place of one of the pacers and his inclusion could make the impact India wants early on. India needs wickets to put pressure on New Zealand and Arshdeep could be the trump card for India.
What Lies Ahead
The stage is set for the decider on Sunday between India and New Zealand in Rajkot on 18th January, 2026 at 1:30 PM IST onwards. Both teams have an equal chance to win the series. But who wants it more is the big question and who holds their nerve again under pressure.
Let’s see how things unfold in the 3rd ODI and whether Arshdeep Singh gets a look-in in the deciding third ODI.
Also Read: IND vs NZ: Daryl Mitchell’s Powerful 8th ODI Ton Helps New Zealand Level The Series