India vs South Africa 3rd ODI Prediction & Match Preview – Visakhapatnam
Match summary
India won by 9 wickets: India 271/1 (39.5 ov), South Africa 270 (47.5 ov). Player of the match: Yashasvi Jaiswal.
Our preview of India vs South Africa in the 3rd ODI at Visakhapatnam: series form, key batters and bowlers, pitch, weather and expected scores.
Match details
| Match | India vs South Africa, 3rd ODI |
|---|---|
| Series | South Africa tour of India 2025 |
| Date | 6 Dec 2025 |
| Start time | 08:00 am GMT / 01:30 pm local |
| Venue | ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam |
| Status | Result |
| Result | India won by 9 wickets |
| Player of the match | Yashasvi Jaiswal |
| Our pick | India ✓ |
| Toss pick | South Africa |
Matches in this series
Match preview
India and South Africa meet in the third and deciding ODI of South Africa’s tour of India at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam, with the series in the balance after South Africa levelled it.
India will be frustrated at losing the second match after scoring 358, with Virat Kohli and Ruturaj Gaikwad both making centuries. Inconsistent bowling and a quick outfield let South Africa get home in the final over. Kohli has back-to-back hundreds, Rohit Sharma has three fifties in his last four innings, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, Gaikwad and KL Rahul round out the batting. Kuldeep Yadav leads the bowling with five wickets at 7.30 in the series, while Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna have been expensive at times.
South Africa arrive with confidence. Aiden Markram scored 110 off 98 balls last time, Quinton de Kock sets the tone alongside him, and Matthew Breetzke has made 72 and 68 in the series and averages 68 in ODIs this year. Temba Bavuma, Dewald Brevis, Marco Jansen and Corbin Bosch provide depth, and Nandre Burger, Lungi Ngidi and Jansen bowled well in the last game.
Whoever bats first may want to add 25 to 30 more runs than usual, as totals can be chased down quickly here. We favour India narrowly.
The ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium usually offers a balanced contest that leans slightly towards batters. Early bounce and pace help stroke-makers in the powerplay, and seamers may find a little movement with the new ball. The surface slows as the game goes on, bringing spinners into play, and teams often want to post a big total because chasing on a used pitch can be harder.
The afternoon is expected to be warm and pleasant at around 27°C, with hazy sunshine, moderate humidity and no sign of rain or strong wind.
Expected scores
| Innings | Predicted | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| First innings | 285–315 | 271/1 (39.5 ov) |
| Second innings | 255–285 | 270 (47.5 ov) |
India
India have the batting form of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma and Kuldeep Yadav’s spin, though South Africa will be confident after chasing 358 in the second ODI.
Toss pick: South Africa
FAQ
Who do we expect to win the India vs South Africa 3rd ODI?
Our preview picks India, helped by the form of Virat Kohli, who has made back-to-back hundreds, and by Kuldeep Yadav’s wickets.
What happened in the second ODI?
India made 358 with centuries from Kohli and Ruturaj Gaikwad, but South Africa chased it down with four balls to spare.
What is a good score at Visakhapatnam?
We expect 285 to 315 batting first, and a total above 290 can put the chasing side under pressure.
Probable XIs
Expected line-ups from our preview. c = captain, wk = wicketkeeper.
India
- Rohit Sharma
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Virat Kohli
- Ruturaj Gaikwad
- Washington Sundar
- KL Rahul
- Ravindra Jadeja
- Harshit Rana
- Kuldeep Yadav
- Arshdeep Singh
- Prasidh Krishna
South Africa
- Temba Bavuma
- Quinton de Kock
- Aiden Markram
- Matthew Breetzke
- Tony de Zorzi
- Dewald Brevis
- Marco Jansen
- Corbin Bosch
- Keshav Maharaj
- Nandre Burger
- Lungi Ngidi
Head-to-head
Earlier meetings of India and South Africa that we covered.