India vs Afghanistan: Captains' Pre-Match Comments Ahead of Final ODI

The Indian skipper - Shubman Gill says that the wicket looks good and they would have batted first as well, as conditions are once again going to be hot and humid. Mentions that they are looking to improve in certain areas, and chasing big scores is one of the boxes they want to tick off. He ends by informing that they have made three changes with the likes of Harsh Dubey, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Prasidh Krishna coming back in.

The captain of Afghanistan - Hashmatullah Shahidi says it is always hot at this time of year in India, but believes the wicket looks very good for batting. He describes the surface as hard and dry and hopes that they can get off to a strong start. Reflecting on the series so far, Shahidi admits his side has fallen short in a few areas and has not played the brand of cricket they are capable of. He stresses the importance of building partnerships with the bat and being more disciplined with the ball. Despite the results, he believes there have been plenty of learnings for the team. Asked about the team changes, Shahidi says there are four in total and refers to the names written on his palm before confirming that Mohammad Nabi, Azmatullah Omarzai, Ziaur Rahman and Fareed Ahmad have been brought into the XI.

For Afghanistan, the final ODI represents an opportunity to avoid a series whitewash and end the tour on a positive note. The visitors were thoroughly outplayed in Lucknow, where India posted a mammoth 402 after Afghanistan opted to bowl first. Captain Hashmatullah Shahidi admitted after the defeat that his side was simply "not good enough" on the day.