Sunil Gavaskar suggests a valuable change in India's playing XI for the fifth ODI against NZ

India missed the services of Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni in the fourth ODI at Hamilton. While the skipper has been rested, the former Captain Cool has been suffering from a hamstring injury. However, he is likely to make a comeback if deemed fit for the final game at Wellington. The wicketkeeper-batsman has been in exceptional form.

The Indian batsmen fell like a pack of cards against the Kiwi bowlers. The pace duo of Trent Boult and Colin De Grandhomme accounted for eight wickets. The likes of Dinesh Karthik and Ambati Rayudu failed to grab the opportunity. Even debutant Shubman Gill couldn’t prolong his stay at the crease.

Dinesh Karthik will have to make way once Dhoni is deemed fit

Commentator Sunil Gavaskar felt that Karthik will have to make way for Dhoni if the veteran proved his fitness. The former cricketing giant stated that the Indian management was likely to persist with Shubman Gill in Kohli’s absence. He remarked that the other changes were totally dependent on the type of pitch at Wellington.

“My feeling is that they will have Dhoni come in place of Karthik. This is probably the one change that I can foresee. About the other changes, it will totally depend on the kind of pitch that they see. I don’t see too much changes coming up. Shubman will certainly get another opportunity,” he was quoted as saying on Star Sports.

MS Dhoni has been in some scintillating form ever since the start of the Australian series. There was a lot of criticism for the former Indian skipper following his lean patch in 2018. Having proved himself in the last few games, Dhoni displayed his versatility in the Indian batting lineup. It remains to be seen who makes way for him in the Wellington game, Rayudu or Karthik?

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