After a shocking loss for the Indian cricket team by losing their first-ever home test series to New Zealand, Rohit Sharma and his men would try to avoid a complete whitewash of 0-3 against the visitors. Also, it was the first time that Team India lost a test series at home in 12 years and their longest streak of 18 straight series wins concluded on a shocking note.

Additionally, the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 table-toppers find themselves in a tricky spot to qualify for the final. 

The hosts have been weak against pacers in the Bengaluru test with an 8-wicket loss and spinners in the 2nd test at Pune recorded a humiliating 113-run loss. However, it is expected that the pitch conditions in Mumbai won’t be a turn-oriented track in the initial stages, but could be a spin-friendly surface as the game progresses.

As per the scheduled date, the clear weather conditions in Mumbai for the next five days could offer another chance for India to accumulate huge points before traveling to Australia for the highly competitive Border Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 five-match test series. 

Moreover, the experts have suggested the Indian team management make bold decisions by experimenting with the bench players’ strength by including them in the playing XI.

On the other side, New Zealand has performed well under Tom Latham’s captaincy and Kane Williamson’s absence and still has the chance to qualify for the WTC 2025 finals by winning all their remaining four matches (1 match vs India and 3 matches vs England).

In this preview, let’s analyze the head-to-head stats of IND vs NZ in a test to predict the toss outcome and winner of the upcoming contest.

Schedule and Venue for IND vs NZ 3rd Test Match

The schedule and venue for IND vs NZ 3rd Test Match is tabulated below in detail:

Weather Conditions in Mumbai for IND vs NZ 3rd Test

Based on the recent weather forecast reports, the five-day test match in Mumbai will be played without any chances of rain interruptions. The temperature is expected to range between 31 °C to 34 °C during the match with a wind speed of 15 km/hr and 71% humidity.

Pitch Conditions at Wankhede Stadium and Expected Toss Result in IND vs NZ 3rd Test 

There would be a slight grass on the pitch at Wankhede stadium that would help batters execute shots freely and accumulate runs on Day 1. Gradually, the cracks start to form as the pitch tends to break down from day 2 onwards thereby offering a huge turn to spinners. 

The toss-winning captain would decide to bat first on the red soil and try to post a mammoth total on the board by making use of the pitch conditions during the initial phases of the match before slowing down. However, the teams batting second after losing the toss should opt for a defensive approach to prevent the quick fall of wickets and score runs slowly and steadily.

Head-to-Head Stats of IND vs NZ in Tests

Out of 64 matches played so far, these are the head-to-head stats of India vs New Zealand in test cricket you need to know:

India and New Zealand’s Past Records in Test Cricket at Wankhede Stadium

Here are the previous records of India and New Zealand in tests at Wankhede Stadium:

India vs New Zealand Head To Head in Test Cricket at Wankhede Stadium

Team India maintains the upper hand with 2 wins and a loss against New Zealand in test cricket at Wankhede Stadium. Both these teams have competed with each other on 3 occasions at the same venue and the results are mentioned in a tabular form:

Best Expected Playing XI Line Up for India vs New Zealand 3rd Test Match

Compared to New Zealand, India is expected to make numerous changes in their playing XI for the 3rd test match:

India’s Possible Playing XI Lineup for 3rd Test:

New Zealand’s Possible Playing XI Lineup for 3rd Test:

IND vs NZ 3rd Test Match Live Streaming and Broadcasting Details

Fans from India and New Zealand can watch the live match through the below-mentioned online streaming and broadcasting platforms:

• INDIA:
  • Live Streaming: Jio Cinema App and website.
  • Broadcasting: Sports18 1 Channel. 
     
• NEW ZEALAND:
  • Live Streaming: Sky Go App (Sky Sports Official Live Streaming Platform)
  • Broadcasting: Sky Sport 

Who will win India vs New Zealand 3rd Test Match 2024? Overall Prediction

Based on the previous two games, New Zealand is also in a strong position to win the 3rd test match. A win for the Blackcaps would further promote their spot in the points table and weaken India’s chances of participating in the WTC finals.

Conversely, the Indian cricket team will be under pressure after losing back-to-back matches in the test series and find themselves in a must-win situation before the Border Gavaskar Trophy.

However, Team India has a good track record of winning a majority of test matches at Wankhede Stadium enhances their expectation of avoiding a clean sweep. At the same time, the team has a threat to face another embarrassing record of losing a test match to the Kiwis after 36 years at the same venue.

Ever since Gautam Gambhir became Team India’s head coach, several unwanted and humiliating records have been registered within a short span of 3 months. Out of these, the most disappointing ones include losing a home test series after 4,331 days. So, it is a challenge for Rohit Sharma’s led side to bounce back from their failures and conclude the last match of the series with a convincing win. 

As of now, the series winner has been declared after the outcome of the Pune Test match. However, the third test match between India and New Zealand is still going to be a two-sided intense war filled with complete suspense and sensational moments that promise to entertain fans to a peak level.