IND vs SA 3rd ODI Prediction: Who Will Win the Decider in Visakhapatnam?
India and South Africa clash in the decisive 3rd ODI in Visakhapatnam with the series tied 1-1. Get the full match prediction, team news, pitch report, weather updates, and key factors ahead of the IND vs SA ODI decider.
India and South Africa gear up for the high-stakes 3rd ODI decider in Visakhapatnam as both teams chase the series win.
On December 6, 2025, the 3rd ODI at ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam will witness a nail-biting ending of the series between India and South Africa. The series being leveled at 1-1 has both teams entering the game with positive vibes and lots of rewards.
India's 17-run win in Ranchi was followed by South Africa pulling off the surprise of the series with a record chase of 359 runs in Raipur paving the way for a high-stakes decider. The pitch in Vizag favors batting and 302 runs is the average score in ODIs, with dew being a strong factor that can help the batting side.
IND vs SA 3rd ODI Team News
India
India is thinking of bringing in Nitish Kumar Reddy instead of Washington Sundar, to give a little more muscle to the fast bowlers.
Worries about the top batting order remain, as the pace problems of Yashasvi Jaiswal might bring Rishabh Pant back to the top-order batters.
Injuries from past tours left Shubman Gill and Shreyas Iyer fully unfit, but at least India has the trio of Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, and the all-round strength of the middle order on which to rely heavily.
South Africa
South Africa has to deal with fitness problems just before the deciding match.
Nandre Burger (hamstring)
Tony de Zorzi (leg strain)
Both need to wait for the results of tenderness tests as they got hurt in Raipur. If one of them is ruled out then the other may be relying on Ryan Rickelton, Rubin Hermann, or Ottneil Baartman.
Kagiso Rabada has already been officially out of the series.
Vizag Weather & Pitch Report
The ACA-VDCA surface has always been friendly to the bowlers early on but the batters could still score easily before the spinners start to be effective. Dew is the most crucial aspect of Visakhapatnam, where teams chasing in ODIs have won 6 out of 10 times.
- Weather: no clouds in the sky
- Temperature: 28°C in daylight, 11–19°C in the evening
- Rain probability: None
- Conditions: High humidity and poor air quality expected
Bowlers might get difficulties due to the dew in the second half of the match under lights when the identical ball rule after 34 overs is followed.
India vs South Africa Match Prediction
India goes into the match with a very slight edge, mainly due to the home conditions, a strong spin attack, and a deeper batting order. The return of Virat Kohli to form is further encouragement to India who intends to take the series.
The confidence of South Africa from their record in Raipur makes them a threat, particularly when they are batting second. However, injuries and the nature of Vizag's spin-friendly conditions might just tip the scales.
Prediction:
A close victory for India either by defending 310–330 runs or by chasing under lights depending on the toss outcome.
