India is closing in on a 4-0 victory in the five-match rubber and is so confident it may include a couple of virtual spectators in its line-up.
Young left-arm spinner Pragyan Ohja may be upgraded from net bowling and pace bowler Irfan Pathan could be involved for the first time since he was thrashed in last month's twenty/20s.
The duo are among five players to return home before the three-test series starts in Hamilton on Wednesday, so today's ODI could be a parting gift.
Sachin Tendulkar is also unlikely to risk aggravating his bruised abdominal muscles but there will be no respite at the top of the order, where Sehwag threatens to give New Zealand's attack another thorough working-over.
Sehwag (30) clubbed 112 on his last visit to Eden Park in early 2003 and, after blasting an unbeaten 125 from 74 balls in Hamilton on Wednesday, he again provides the major headache for New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori given that he has collected 259 runs at 86.33 at a strike rate of 150.58.
Vettori said he had gently encouraged his bowlers to stick to their plans against Sehwag and his sparkling support acts.
"We're continually going back to the bowlers and showing them that when they hit certain areas it is tough for the Indian guys to score and we do put pressure on them," Vettori explained.
"The key is to be consistent with that."
Sehwag, who smashed India's fastest ODI century from 60 balls at Seddon Park, appears a special case but Vettori said video analysis proved he could be contained.
"If we get it in the right areas we can trouble him and we can stop him from scoring," Vettori said.
"We keep imploring the bowlers to make sure they hit the right areas, and if they do, then good things happen."
While New Zealand has conceded a first ODI series at home since Australia won 5-0 in 2005, Vettori said the final day-nighter was far from a "dead" rubber.
"This is a momentum game for us before the tests.
We don't want to go down 4-0; we want to win a game and give our one-day side the credibility it deserves.
Despite Sehwag's demolition job and contributions from Tendulkar, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Suresh Raina - who is not considered worthy of a test berth - Vettori rightly pointed out New Zealand had at times matched the Indians.
"At times both sets of bowlers are dreading running in," he said, a view endorsed by India's South African coach Gary Kirsten.
"Absolutely. New Zealand have batted extremely well.
"They have shown some real innovation.
"We've had numerous bowling meetings in terms of trying to work out areas where we would like to bowl and they put us under pressure."
Destroyer-in-chief Sehwag agreed India's seamers were also suffering.
"When they [Brendon McCullum and Jesse Ryder] had the partnership of 166 [in Christchurch] we were down," he said.
"When someone is hitting like they were, we can't do anything.
"Maybe they miss-hit and get out."
