3 things India need to do right in the 3rd ODI vs Australia ft. bringing in Kuldeep Yadav

India have had a disastrous ODI series against Australia so far. With a seven-wicket defeat in Perth and a two-wicket defeat in Adelaide, the Men in Blue are already out of contention for the trophy.

When the series moves to the Sydney Cricket Ground for the third and final ODI on Saturday, October 25, India will need to be at their best. Their preparations for the 2027 World Cup haven't exactly kicked off, but with pressure mounting on coach Gautam Gambhir and a certain set of players, Shubman Gill and Co. will know that they must deliver.

From a tactical perspective, there are a number of things India can do better.

India’s ODI squad for the Australia tour: Shubman Gill (captain), Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), Axar Patel, KL Rahul (wk), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana, Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal.

Australia's ODI squad for the India series: Mitchell Marsh (c), Xavier Bartlett, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitchell Owen, Josh Philippe, Matthew Renshaw, Matthew Short, Mitchell Starc, Jack Edwards. Games two and three only: Adam Zampa, Alex Carey, Josh Inglis.

On that note, here are three things India need to do right in the third ODI against Australia.

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#3 India should give themselves more time before going full tilt

Australia v India - ODI Series: Game 2 - Source: Getty

The pitches in Perth and Adelaide weren't exactly belters. The Australian fast bowlers had a fair amount of assistance in the powerplay, and the extra bounce through the middle overs meant that batting was never really completely straightforward.

India need to take a leaf out of Rohit Sharma and Shreyas Iyer's book from the previous ODI. The duo hung in there and put together a good partnership that wasn't at their usual tempo but still took the team closer to a fighting score.

In Sydney, where uneven bounce and decent turn are common themes, India shouldn't get sucked into an approach where they look to go hell for leather. Saving wickets for the last 15 overs should be high on the team's agenda.

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#2 Picking Kuldeep Yadav is a must

India v New Zealand: Final - ICC Champions Trophy 2025 - Source: Getty

This angle has been discussed about to death by fans, experts and former cricketers alike. Kuldeep Yadav, who is one of the best ODI bowlers in the world, simply has to play at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The venue offers some grip and turn for the spinners, and Kuldeep would be right at home. Moreover, the left-arm wrist-spinner is in excellent form right now and could make the most of the positive match-ups he has against the Aussie middle order.

Even at the cost of batting depth, namely either Washington Sundar or Nitish Kumar Reddy, picking Kuldeep is an absolute must.

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#1 India need some changes in the pace department

Sri Lanka v India - ODI Series: Game 2 - Source: Getty

Harshit Rana has been hugely inconsistent in white-ball cricket over the last year or so. Although he has decent potential, the young fast bowler hasn't been able to adjust to the demands of the highest level just yet.

India clearly need changes in the pace department. Bringing in someone like Prasidh Krishna, who can make the most of conditions in Sydney, would help the Men in Blue immensely. Prasidh would give them a solid attacking weapon through the middle overs, and his recent form has been encouraging as well.