3 player battles to watch out for during IND vs NZ 3rd ODI

Team India have it all to play for in the third and final ODI against New Zealand in Christchurch on Wednesday, November 30. Only 12.5 overs of play was possible in second ODI at the Seddon Park in Hamilton as rain played spoilsport and the game was abandoned.

The likes of Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill looked good for their brief stays, but the Men in Blue will need a collective effort if they are to beat the Kiwis and salvage a drawn series.

On that note, let's take a look at three match-ups whose results could define where the game in Christchurch might be heading:

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#3 Kane Williamson vs Yuzvendra Chahal

New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson, alongside Tom Latham, absolutely dominated leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal in the first ODI. The leggie couldn't break the partnership as the duo kept on finding boundaries at regular intervals and also rotated the strike pretty well.

Chahal didn't get to bowl at Williamson in the second ODI, but the duo have an interesting head-to-head record. Williamson has scored 103 runs from 130 balls off Chahal in ODIs, but has also been dismissed four times.

This makes it quite an even contest and it will be interesting to see who gets on top when India and New Zealand face off in Christchurch.

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#2 Shubman Gill vs Tim Southee

Conditions in Hamilton were a bit challenging for the Indian openers as it was overcast and the pitch seemed to have a bit of moisture. However, Shubman Gill managed to counter the new-ball threat of the Kiwis pretty well, especially against the experienced Tim Southee.

In ODIs so far, Gill has scored 16 runs off 23 balls from Southee and has managed to remain unbeaten. However, he has been dismissed once in Tests as well as in T20s when the duo have faced off.

If Southee gets swing and even a hint of movement off the pitch in Christchurch, this could prove to be a fascinating battle as the Indian opener has been susceptible to the moving ball in the past.

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#1 Suryakumar Yadav vs Lockie Ferguson

The second ODI seemed to be in Suryakumar Yadav's comfort zone as it was almost like a T20, having been reduced to 29 overs per side.

'SKY' did score 34* runs off 26 balls before rain played spoilsport. However, those who watched ball-by-ball know that he did struggle a bit against Lockie Ferguson early on in his innings.

Ferguson's pace and bounce seemed to be a bit too much for Yadav as he was new to the crease. The speedster has already got the Indian batter out in the first ODI. However, SKY has also smashed Ferguson in the T20I series and seemed to cut loose just before the rain arrived in the second ODI.

So with neither showing any intention of holding back, it will be a battle worth watching.