On paper, this is a dead rubber. India have already wrapped up the three-match series with two commanding performances — a rain-affected seven-wicket victory in Dharamsala and a record-breaking 170-run demolition in Lucknow.Sources: ESPNcricinfo, ICC But for several individuals, the final ODI carries immense personal significance.

Yashasvi Jaiswal will be desperate to make an impact. The left-hander was brought back to the 50-over format for the first time since December 2025 but managed just 4 runs in Lucknow.Source: The Tribune With Virat Kohli set to return from injury for the upcoming England tour, Jaiswal needs a substantial knock to stay in the ODI reckoning.Source: The Tribune Assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate confirmed the team will stick with the same top three from Lucknow, giving Jaiswal another opportunity at the top.Source: Sportstar

KL Rahul is another player under the microscope. With Shreyas Iyer’s return and Ishan Kishan’s emergence, Rahul has been pushed to No. 6 — a position where he has limited experience. His numbers at No. 5 are exceptional (1517 runs at 63.2 avg), but at No. 6, he averages 41.5 with just one fifty.Source: The Tribune How he adapts to this role will be closely watched.

For Afghanistan, this match is about pride. They are yet to register a single ODI victory against India in 10 encounters, and a 3-0 whitewash would be a harsh end to an otherwise promising tour.Source: ESPNcricinfo Mohammad Nabi missed the second ODI with a viral infection, and his return could bolster a brittle batting line-up.Source: ESPNcricinfo

India: The big news is the return of Harshit Rana. The 24-year-old pacer, who last featured for India in the T20I series against New Zealand, has fully recovered from a knee injury sustained during a T20 World Cup warm-up match in February.Sources: ICC, Cricbuzz He has been added to the squad after completing rehabilitation at the BCCI Centre of Excellence.Source: ICC He is expected to walk straight into the playing XI, with Prince Yadav likely to make way.Source: CricTracker

India are also likely to make a couple of changes, with Arshdeep Singh and one batter expected to be rested.Source: Sportstar Nitish Kumar Reddy, who missed the second ODI with a sore thigh, has bowled without discomfort at the Chepauk nets and could return to the XI.Source: ESPNcricinfo Harsh Dubey, who impressed on debut in Dharamsala, could also feature, with Kuldeep Yadav possibly given a rest.Source: ABP Live

Afghanistan: Mohammad Nabi is expected to return after missing the second ODI with a viral infection.Source: ESPNcricinfo The visitors will hope his experience can stabilise a brittle batting line-up that has looked vulnerable throughout the series.

The M. A. Chidambaram Stadium pitch has been quite batting-friendly in recent matches, with the average first-innings score hovering around 275.Source: Times of India The surface offers good value for shots, and the quick outfield allows batters to capitalise on their stroke play. While batting second under lights has generally been easier, captains may still prefer to put up a substantial total, as the pitch tends to slow down as the match progresses.Source: Times of India

Spinners are expected to dominate at Chepauk, though a batting-friendly track is likely for the series finale.Source: CricTracker With the venue having recently undergone renovation, it will be interesting to see how the surface behaves.

Weather: Hot and humid conditions expected with temperatures ranging between 33°C and 35°C.Source: Times of India Cloud cover is likely during the day, but the chances of rain are low (10-20%), and the match is expected to proceed without any major interruptions.

India are overwhelming favourites to complete a 3-0 clean sweep. Their batting lineup is in red-hot form, the bowling attack looks balanced, and the home conditions suit their spinners. Afghanistan, however, have shown flashes of promise — Gurbaz’s century in the first ODI and the spin duo of Rashid Khan and Nangeyalia Kharote have been positives.

The Chepauk pitch is expected to be batting-friendly, and the team winning the toss may prefer to bat first. With India’s depth and Afghanistan’s inconsistency, a comfortable Indian victory is the most likely outcome.

Prediction: India to win by a substantial margin and complete a 3-0 series whitewash. Expect a total of 300+ from India if they bat first.

India: Star Sports Network (TV) · JioHotstar (App & Website)Sources: Outlook India, Times of India
Global: ICC.tv (selected regions)
Match Start: 1:30 PM IST · Toss: 1:00 PM IST