India Win Toss, Opt to Bat in 3rd ODI Against West Indies

India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and opted to bat first in the third and final ODI against West Indies in Mullanpur. The hosts made three strategic changes to their playing XI, bringing in Nitish Kumar Reddy, Anshul Kamboj, and Mohammed Siraj to bolster the lineup.

The management left out Ravindra Jadeja, Prasidh Krishna, and Auqib Nabi for the fixture. Prasidh Krishna was ruled out of the concluding match following a hamstring injury suffered during the previous encounter.

Earlier in the series, India successfully chased down targets in both high-scoring matches. The opening encounters saw massive totals, highlighted by a stellar unbeaten double century from Shubman Gill during a record run-chase.

The visitors struck early blows in the morning session as West Indies bowlers found movement off the surface. Virat Kohli departed for a golden duck after playing across the line to a swinging delivery, while Seales removed the in-form Shubman Gill.

Rohit Sharma weathered the early pressure expertly, bringing up his half-century off 58 balls. The former skipper shifted into top gear after reaching the milestone, unleashing trademark pull shots and boundaries to revive the innings.

Ruturaj Gaikwad provided steady support at the other end despite surviving two dropped chances early in his knock. Gaikwad accelerated with timely boundaries and a six, bringing up his fifty before falling for 57 to John Campbell.

Rohit continued his aggressive onslaught alongside the middle-order, nearing his century before being caught near the boundary by Jewel Andrew off Keemo Paul. The crucial partnership helped push India past the 150-run mark.

With the 2027 ODI World Cup approaching, team management continues to rotate players to provide adequate game time. Meanwhile, the Indian camp celebrated a gold medal triumph after Shreyas Iyer's side defeated Pakistan in the final.