Ind vs Eng 3rd ODI: Virat & co will aim for 10th consecutive ODI series win

In the India vs England 3rd ODI, Virat Kohli and co will look to plug middle-order and death overs woes in Leeds. Catch live action here.

India Vs England : In the third One Day International (ODI) of the 3-match series, Virat Kohli-led India will look to plug loopholes in the field when they take on Eoin Morgan’s England at the Headingley Cricket Ground in Leeds today. If India win today’s match it will be the team's 10th successive series victory.

How is the 3 match series evenly poised?

England levelled the three-match series with a convincing 86-run victory at Lord's, having been comprehensively beaten in the opening match at Trent Bridge.

Areas Indian cricket team needs to improve in the 3rd ODI

After first ODI victory, India made a couple of mistakes in the second match. First, the bowlers leaked few extra runs which helped England post a challenging total and then batsmen failed to rise to the occasion. Apart from Suresh Raina and skipper Virat Kohli no other batsman could face English bowlers perfectly. Although wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Shikhar Dhawan got good starts, they failed to capitalise on them. Middle-order batsmen Lokesh Rahul, Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya also failed miserably. Hence, in order to give English bowlers a tough time, India's middle batting line-up needs to click in unison.

In the bowling department, Kuldeep was the only wicket-taker. He scalped three wickets but gave away 68 runs in his 10 overs. Pacers Umesh Yadav, Hardik and debutant Sidharth Kaul also proved costly. Bowlers now have to come up with something new to disturb the opponents as Root, Morgan, Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow are already in form.

How England won the 2nd ODI

England, on the other hand, learned quickly from a poor display in the first match against India and especially against chinaman Kuldeep, who claimed 6 for 25. Joe Root and skipper Eoin Morgan also showed good form with the brilliant knocks of 113 and 53, respectively. Jason Roy and Bairstow also showed signs of regaining their form with disciplined batting throughout their innings. So, with a settled top-order, the only worry of the hosts is their middle and lower order. Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali could not add much to the score after a brilliant start. Had the trio clicked in the final match, it could have made things difficult for Indian batsmen. England has improved a lot in the bowling department. Bowlers are hunting in pairs. Pacers Liam Plunkett and David Willey are bowling well, while Adil Rashid, Moeen Ali and Mark Wood are supporting the duo superbly. Their bowling economy is not above six, which is a good sign for English players, especially when the opponents are chasing the target.

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