India vs South Africa Live Streaming: How To Watch IND vs SA 3rd ODI On TV And Online?

With a similar storyline of faltering opening combination running through the first two matches, India's hopes of registering their second ODI series triumph in South Africa will revolve around a sturdy start from the openers in the third and final match on Thursday.

Opener Tony de Zorzi slammed a magnificent maiden hundred to complement a superlative effort by his team's bowlers, led by pacer Nandre Burger, as South Africa humbled India by eight wickets in the second ODI to level the three-match series 1-1 Gqeberha on Tuesday.

India's lone ODI series win in the Rainbow nation came in 2018, and for an encore they require a robust beginning from Ruturaj Gaikwad and B Sai Sudharsan as a pair.

Sai Sudharsan has been impressive in his two outings in the series so far, notching up 55 and 62. But Gaikwad could not support him from the other end. The right-hander fell for five and four as India’s first-wicket alliance ended at 23 and four at Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth.

Similarly, Tilak Varma, who showed some early promise in his career, seemed to have tapered off a bit in the last couple of months.

It is important for Gaikwad and Varma, unless he is replaced with uncapped Rajat Patidar for the third ODI, to rediscover their range because India no longer has Shreyas Iyer in the middle-order to shore up the innings. The 30-year-old Patidar usually bats at No. 4 for Madhya Pradesh.

Iyer had joined an inter-squad match to prepare for the upcoming Test series after the first one-dayer.

India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said the visitors' approach will not change one bit in the series-deciding third ODI. Kotak has made it clear that there won't be too many changes in the playing eleven, which will be decided depending on the surface.

"Our approach won't change at all. Not many changes I wouldn't think but again once we go and see the wicket then we will decide," Kotak said at the post-match press conference on Wednesday.

"On any wicket anywhere, the intent we play with that won't change much. The batters will have to apply according to the wicket and the bowlers will have to adjust," he said.

From a South African perspective, the performance of left-handed De Zorzi might have filled them with the hopes of finding an ideal, long-term replacement for Quinton de Kock. Fast bowler Nandre Burger too was fiery with the new ball and the Proteas will hope for him to give another hustle round to the Indians.

The third ODI between India and South Africa will be played on Thursday, December 21 at the Boland Park in Paarl. The match starts at 4:30 PM IST.

The 3rd ODI match between India and South Africa will be broadcast live on the Star Sports Network in India.

The third IND vs SA ODI will be live streamed on Disney+ Hotstar's app and website in India.

Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sai Sudharsan, Tilak Varma, KL Rahul (c and wk), Sanju Samson, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar.

Reeza Hendricks, Tony de Zorzi, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram (c), Heinrich Klaasen (wk), David Miller, Wiaan Mulder, Keshav Maharaj, Nandre Burger, Lizaad Williams, Beuran Hendricks.

(With PTI inputs)