Former Indian skipper, MS Dhoni is set to return to the Indian team for the fourth ODI against New Zealand at Hamilton on Thursday. He missed the third ODI due to a hamstring niggle, batted in the nets on Wednesday without any real sign of discomfort. He was moving well both against the seamers and pacers ahead of the fourth ODI during the net session.

This was only the second instance when Dhoni has missed a game because of an injury. He had missed three ODIs in 2013 because of a hamstring injury. However, the BCCI is yet to make an official announcement about Dhoni’s fitness but India’s net session revealed there is nothing much to worry about the former captain. A final decision on his availability will be taken before the toss on Thursday.

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If Dhoni is available for selection then team management will not be making many changes in the squad as he will walk in as Virat Kohli’s replacement. Kohli has been rested for the remainder of the tour. 

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Snapshots from #TeamIndia's training session ahead of the 4th ODI against New Zealand #NZvIND pic.twitter.com/KTmYgLwK5n

— BCCI (@BCCI) January 30, 2019

However, if the visitors opt for a like-for-like replacement, then Indian fans could get a glimpse of the immensely talented Shubman Gill in the senior team jersey. He has already been touted as the future of Indian cricket even some experts have found a striking similarity in the 19-year-old Gill’s strokes with the ones that Kohli plays effortlessly. In case both Gill and Dhoni are included, Dinesh Karthik could well be rested.

Dhoni has been in his prime form recently, hitting three half-centuries in his last five ODIs. He also adjudged the Player of the Series in Australia for scores of  51, 55 not out and 87 not out. He continued in the same vein in the ongoing series against New Zealand, scoring an unbeaten 33-ball 48 to take India to 324-4 in the second ODI.