IND v AUS 2020: 3 reasons why the 3rd ODI is far more than dead rubber for India

The fate of the series has already been decided as India take on Australia in the 3rd and final ODI at the Manuka Oval in Canberra on Wednesday.

Although Australia will lift the trophy thanks to convincing wins in the first two ODIs, India have a lot to play for in the final game before heading on to the T20I and Test series.

Here are 3 reasons why the 3rd ODI between India and Australia is far more than just dead rubber.

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#3 India need to get their frontline bowlers back into form

Australia v India - ODI Game 1

India have made no secret of the fact that they want to cleverly manage the workloads of their premier fast bowlers in Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah, but they might not have the opportunity to do so in the 3rd ODI.

While Shami was good in the 1st ODI, he was taken for runs in the second and didn't really look like picking up wickets. Bumrah, on the other hand, has taken only 3 wickets in 8 ODIs in 2020 and has been a shadow of the fire-breathing menace he was in the Indian Premier League.

Both bowlers are part of the T20I and Test squads, and will have major roles to play in the games going forward. As a result, they might be given another game in Canberra and then rested for a part of the T20 series.

India have conceded 100+ opening partnerships in each of their last 3 ODIs, and 50+ partnerships in each of their last 5. They've picked up only 5 wickets in the first powerplay in 14 games this year, and they need to set this record straight as soon as possible.

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#2 India need to arrest their 5-match losing streak in ODIs

New Zealand v India - ODI: Game 1

India have now lost 5 consecutive games in the ODI format - 3 against New Zealand before the pandemic-enforced break and 2 in the ongoing series against Australia.

In what has become a matter of pride, the Men in Blue need to arrest their losing streak in ODIs and get back to the win column at the earliest. A series whitewash in Australia will not make good reading for India, especially when you consider that almost all the team's players are on the back of successful IPL seasons (while Australia's players aren't).

Virat Kohli and his men need to pull up their socks and salvage some respectability by ending the series with a 2-1 scoreline. The Indian skipper's leadership has also come under the scanner greatly in this series, and he might need a good performance from his team more than people realise.

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#1 India's fringe players are likely to get a go

Australia v India - ODI Game 1

Kohli surprisingly didn't make any changes to the playing XI for the 2nd ODI, but that isn't likely to happen for the final game of the series.

Navdeep Saini, who has been plagued by back spasms in the recent past and has struggled to make an impression, is all but guaranteed to make way for either T Natarajan or Shardul Thakur.

It will be interesting to see how the left-armer fares at the international level if he gets a game, and he'll certainly add variety to the bowling attack if he does. Thakur, on the other hand, will add some lower-order batting along with a handy bag of variations that'll help on pitches that don't offer much assistance.

Shubman Gill could also get a chance to build on his 2 ODI appearances for the country in place of Mayank Agarwal. Sanju Samson is another name on the bench, but he might not be in the reckoning for a place in the side as he was called up as a last-minute back-up for KL Rahul. Kuldeep Yadav, who desperately needs to get some confidence and wickets under his belt, is another name who could be on the teamsheet in Canberra.

A number of fringe Indian players could take to the field in the 3rd ODI. These cricketers would not only get the chance to showcase their wares on the international stage but they would also be able to stake claims for a place in the T20I and Test series that are to come.