Reports: Shubman Gill likely to make his ODI debut in Hamilton, doubts over Dhoni's fitness

Team India registered a clinical win in the third ODI of their ongoing 5-match assignment against New Zealand. With the win, the Men in Blue now have an unassailable lead of 3-0 in the series. With the series safely in their pockets, it is very much likely that the Indian side could test their bench strength in the remaining two fixtures of the series.

On the eve of the fourth ODI, which is set to be played in Hamilton, some reports have surfaced the media which suggest that young batter Shubman Gill could pretty well make his ODI debut in the match.  Gill has been a top performer in Youth cricket and was one of the key players of India U19’s victorious ICC U19 World Cup campaign last year.

He has had an excellent run in the domestic season as well. He was drafted in the Indian squad for the New Zealand ODIs as a replacement for KL Rahul, who had to miss out owing to his off-field fiasco. It is worth noting that the Indian team has a vacant spot ahead of the fourth ODI, with regular skipper Virat Kohli being rested for the final two matches of the series.

All of this has led to the possibility of Shubman Gill making his ODI debut. When he was picked up in the Indian squad, a nervous Gill had remarked that his heart had started pounding after he got the news. “It was late in the night. My heart started beating faster. The messages started pouring in and I rushed to tell my father. It was a special moment,” Gill had quoted.

MS Dhoni likely to be rested?

It was a rare sight in the third ODI of the series, when MS Dhoni had to miss out due to a sore hamstring. Now, the reports suggest that Dhoni might miss out in Hamilton ODI as well. While he was seen practising in the nets on the eve of the match, it is learnt that the team management wants him to recover completely. In his absence, Dinesh Karthik will continue to don the wicketkeeping gloves.

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