India eye clean sweep as West Indies seek pride in Mullanpur third ODI
Shubman Gill-led India and Shai Hope’s West Indies meet in the third ODI at Mullanpur on October 3, 2026, with India aiming for a clean sweep and West Indies looking to salvage pride.
The captain of West Indies - Shai Hope says they would have bowled first had he won the toss, so he is happy with what they are doing. The Indian captain - Shubman Gill feels the first 3-4 overs could offer a bit for the bowlers, but once the surface settles, it should become a really good wicket to bat on. The afternoon heat is likely to be one of the biggest challenges for both teams, with temperatures expected to be in the mid-30s, similar to the conditions in Trivandrum and Guwahati, where players struggled with cramps and fielders needed frequent rotations. This will also be the first men's ODI at the Mullanpur venue, where conditions are expected to favour batting and a score of around 290-300 is considered competitive; chasing could again be the preferred option given that the team batting second has won four of the five List A matches played at the venue.
With the series already in the bag, India are expected to make changes to their XI, the management having indicated the series is part of its preparations for the 2027 World Cup. The third ODI therefore represents an opportunity to assess squad depth and give fringe players game time.
Yashasvi Jaiswal remains one of the biggest talking points: the opener has yet to get a game in the series and could finally be given an opportunity, potentially at the expense of one of the established openers. KL Rahul has also not had the chance to bat in the series, while Dhruv Jurel could be considered if India want to rotate their wicketkeeping options.
Kuldeep Yadav has emerged as India's most effective bowler in the series; he extracted enough assistance from the surface in the opening ODI and provided control in the second, while the other spinners have found conditions less helpful. West Indies will have another opportunity to counter Kuldeep, but they have positives to build on: their Powerplay batting has improved and Amir Jangoo has impressed with his ability to handle spin and provide stability in the middle order.
The first two matches have followed a strikingly similar pattern, with West Indies producing competitive totals but struggling to contain India in the chase. After scoring 295/7 in the first ODI, the visitors posted 405/7 in the second, only for India to chase both targets comfortably without seriously testing their middle order.
The two games have produced eight centuries, four from each side, underlining how favourable the batting conditions have been; at the same time, both teams' bowling attacks have struggled in the heat and under lights.
A victory for India in the third ODI would complete a clean sweep in the three-match series; West Indies will aim to avoid that outcome and salvage pride in the final game at Mullanpur.
