In variable speed applications based on induction motor (IM) drives, two types of popular control strategies are distinguished: rotor flux oriented control (RFOC) and direct torque control (DTC). This paper investigates an experimental evaluation of two novel control strategies for three-switch three-phase inverter (TSTPI), also called B3- VSI, fed IM drives, namely: (i)DTC, and (ii) RFOC controlled current. The control strategies under consideration are firstly presented and therefore their control performances have been investigated via simulation and experimental results, including steady-state and transient conditions. The comparative evaluation is carried out on the basis of numerous criteria: Torque and flux ripples, steady-state performance, dynamic response, parameter sensitivity, control sampling period, and algorithm complexity.