India and South Africa face off in the decisive 3rd ODI on December 6, 2025, at Visakhapatnam's ACA-VDCA Stadium, with the series tied 1-1 after India's 17-run win in Ranchi and South Africa's record 359 chase in Raipur.
India holds a home advantage and batting depth, while South Africa brings chasing momentum despite injury concerns. Expect a high-scoring contest on a batting-friendly pitch averaging 302 in ODIs, where dew favors teams batting second.
IND vs SA 3rd ODI Team News
India may replace Washington Sundar with Nitish Kumar Reddy to bolster seam bowling, while Yashasvi Jaiswal's poor form against pace could see Rishabh Pant open. Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer remain sidelined by injuries from earlier series. South Africa faces uncertainty with Nandre Burger's hamstring
issue and Tony de Zorzi's leg strain from Raipur; scans pending, they may turn to Ryan Rickelton, Rubin Hermann, or Ottneil Baartman as replacements, with Kagiso Rabada already out.
Vizag Weather and Pitch Report
Vizag's pitch offers true bounce for batters early, with spinners gaining grip later; chasing sides have won 6 of 10 ODIs here, and dew (exacerbated by the unchanged ball rule post-overs 34) will influence the toss. Clear skies prevail with temperatures from 28°C daytime to 11-19°C evening, no rain, but high humidity and poor AQI expected.
India vs South Africa Match Prediction
India holds a slight edge in the 3rd ODI against South Africa, leveraging home conditions, superior spin options, and batting depth despite a tied 1-1 series. South Africa's chasing form in Raipur (record 359) poses a threat, but India's seamers and spinners could exploit Vizag's grip later. Key factors like dew, pitch behavior, and injury impacts tilt towards a narrow India win defending 310-330 or chasing under lights. The form of Virat Kohli is a massive boost for the Indian team, as they look to seal the series.
