India's predicted playing XI for the 3rd ODI against Australia

India will look to secure a win in their final official contest before the World Cup 2023 when they face off against Australia in the third ODI in Rajkot on Wednesday, September 27.

The Men in Blue were initially expected to field a full-strength squad for this clash, but the promising nature of their results in the first two ODIs has perhaps encouraged them to give a few players some time off.

Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya, Shardul Thakur and Mohammed Shami won't take part in the dead rubber. Axar Patel, meanwhile, hasn't yet recovered from the quadriceps injury he sustained during the Asia Cup.

India's squad for the 3rd ODI against Australia: Rohit Sharma (c), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul (wk), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.

Here is India's predicted playing XI for the third ODI against Australia.

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Openers: Rohit Sharma (c) and Ishan Kishan

Shubman Gill [left] has been rested for the final ODI

India are expected to entirely alter their opening combination from the first two ODIs. While Gill has been rested after initially being named in the squad for this game, Ruturaj Gaikwad has Asian Games commitments and was never in the picture.

Rohit Sharma will return to lead Team India and open the batting. Alongside him could be Ishan Kishan, who has batted in the middle order so far in the series but is expected to double up as an opening backup.

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Middle Order: Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul (wk), Suryakumar Yadav

KL Rahul is one of the key parts of the middle order

India will finally be able to select their first-choice middle order from positions 3 to 5.

Virat Kohli's return is on the cards after missing out on the first two matches, and the superstar batter will be keen on notching up a big score before heading into the World Cup.

Shreyas Iyer's sensational hundred ticked off another box for the Men in Blue in Indore. The right-handed batter struggled with cramps towards the end of his energy-sapping innings in the previous game but should have recovered well enough to suit up in Rajkot and get some more game time under his belt.

KL Rahul didn't keep wickets in the last game, but India probably view him as the first-choice gloveman. He could be behind the stumps for the third ODI and will bat at No. 5.

Suryakumar Yadav, who has had an excellent series so far, will round off the batters in the XI.

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All-rounder: Ravindra Jadeja

Ravindra Jadeja needs to come up with a telling batting display

Without Thakur, Hardik and Axar, India are short of all-rounders. Ravindra Jadeja might be their only player in that department, and the southpaw needs to sort out his ODI batting woes at the earliest.

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Bowlers: Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah is expected to return for the third ODI

Prasidh Krishna, who played the last ODI, is an option. So is Mukesh Kumar, who reportedly joined the side ahead of the second game of the series.

However, India are likely to go in with just two frontline fast bowlers in Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, who will be well-rested for this contest.

Kuldeep Yadav, who didn't play the first two matches, is also expected to be back. Ravichandran Ashwin has made an encouraging ODI comeback and will look to further his case for a spot in the World Cup squad.