India enter the third and final ODI against Afghanistan at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday, 20 June with the series already sealed, but with plenty of individual battles to resolve before the England tour looms. The hosts, who clinched the series with back-to-back wins, will chase a 3-0 clean sweep against a visiting side that has been outplayed across both formats on this tour.

Key Battles to Watch

Left-handed opener Yashasvi Jaiswal will be under the spotlight after managing just four runs in Lucknow, where skipper Shubman Gill and wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan both struck centuries. With Virat Kohli potentially returning from a hamstring injury for the upcoming England series, the pressure is on Jaiswal to stake his claim with a substantial knock in what is effectively a dead rubber.

KL Rahul's role is another subplot worth tracking. The team management is reportedly assessing how Rahul adapts his ODI batting at number six — a position demanding late-innings acceleration — rather than the steadier accumulation he has shown at number five. His evolution in that role has direct implications for India's lower-order firepower heading into the England assignments.

Harshit Rana's Return Adds Intrigue

Seam-bowling all-rounder Harshit Rana has been added to the squad in Chennai after completing rehabilitation for a knee injury. With Nitish Kumar Reddy managing a thigh issue, Rana could feature in Saturday's XI, giving the team management a live read on his fitness and match-readiness ahead of the Ireland and England tours. The Chennai pitch, historically sympathetic to seamers early on, could suit Rana's style if selected.

Afghanistan's Challenge

Afghanistan have been thoroughly outclassed in both formats on this tour and face a steep task to correct their batting and bowling deficiencies before the final match. Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi will lean on the experience of Rashid Khan and Mohammad Nabi to provide resistance, but India's bowling attack has offered little room for the visitors to settle. A consolation win remains the most realistic ambition for Afghanistan.

Match Details and Squads

The match begins at 1:30 PM IST at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. Live TV coverage is available on the Star Sports Network, with live streaming on JioHotstar.

India squad: Shubman Gill (Captain), Rohit Sharma, Shreyas Iyer (vice-captain), KL Rahul (wicket-keeper), Ishan Kishan (wicket-keeper), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Prince Yadav, Gurnoor Brar, Harsh Dubey, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Harshit Rana.

Afghanistan squad: Hashmatullah Shahidi (captain), Sediqullah Atal, Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wicket-keeper), Ikram Alikhil (wicket-keeper), Azmatullah Omarzai, Bilal Sami, Nangeyalia Kharote, Fareed Ahmad Malik, AM Ghazanfar, Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan, Darwish Rasooli, Ibrahim Zadran, Zia Ur Rahman Sharifi.

All eyes will be on whether India close out the series with a perfect scorecard — and whether Harshit Rana's return signals a new dimension in their pace options ahead of a demanding overseas schedule.