The third one-day international between India and New Zealand at Seddon Park in Hamilton never started. Rain on Tuesday, 10 November, wiped the match out without a single ball being bowled, and India stay 2-0 up in the five-match series with two games to go.

What happened in Hamilton

India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and chose to bowl. A wet outfield and passing showers then delayed the start by more than two hours, according to New Zealand broadcaster 1News. Steadier rain arrived later and the umpires called the game off shortly before 7 pm local time, as there was no way to prepare the ground before the 8 pm cut-off.

How India got to 2-0

Rain has affected every game so far. In the first ODI in Auckland, India won by five wickets on the Duckworth-Lewis method after New Zealand were bowled out cheaply. Virat Kohli top-scored with 74 off 51 balls, according to the Times of India.

The second ODI in Wellington was far tighter. New Zealand were all out for 134 in 41 overs, with Gurnoor Brar taking 4 for 30. India stumbled to 113 for 7 in 26 overs when rain stopped play, but they were four runs ahead of the DLS par score, which was enough for a four-run win. Shreyas Iyer made 30 and KL Rahul was not out on 26.

Can India still lose the series?

No. With a 2-0 lead and only two matches left, India cannot lose the series. The best New Zealand can do is win both remaining games and share the series at 2-2. Both matches will be played at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui, on Friday 13 November and Sunday 15 November.

Who is in and who is out

The more interesting story is the team India will field. The selectors have picked separate squads for the ODIs and the Tests, because the first Test starts on 19 November and the ODI series ends only on 15 November. Players in the Test group need time in a special preparation camp.

  • Gill, who is the ODI captain, will leave the white-ball squad.
  • KL Rahul, Anshul Kamboj, Mohammed Siraj and Kuldeep Yadav will also miss the last two ODIs, according to India.com.
  • Shreyas Iyer, the vice-captain, takes over. The fourth ODI will be his first as India's ODI captain.
  • Ishan Kishan, who did not play in the first three games, is the designated vice-captain for the last two ODIs.
  • Tilak Varma, Kumar Kushagra and Yash Thakur have been added to the squad.

Former India players Ambati Rayudu and Dinesh Karthik have both said Kishan should open with Rohit Sharma in place of Gill, and that Ruturaj Gaikwad should come into the middle order. These are their opinions on Cricbuzz, as reported by the Times of India, and not a team announcement. India have not named their XI for Friday.

Why it matters

For India, the two remaining ODIs are a rare chance to test a bench-strength line-up with the series already safe. For New Zealand, they are the last white-ball games before the Test series, and the home side must win both to avoid a series defeat.

Resting the captain and a senior batter in a live series is a call the board has defended on one ground: the Test side gets only a few days between the last ODI and the first Test in Wellington.

What to watch next

  • Friday 13 November: fourth ODI, Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui, with Iyer in charge.
  • Sunday 15 November: fifth and final ODI at the same ground.
  • 19 November: first Test, followed by a second Test starting 27 November.
  • Weather: rain has hit all three matches, so another Duckworth-Lewis finish is possible. Check the forecast before planning your viewing.

New Zealand is several hours ahead of India, so confirm the start time in IST on the broadcaster's schedule before you plan your viewing.