India all-rounder Naman Dhir reveals how veteran Ravindra Jadeja’s invaluable bowling tips and rigorous training at the Mumbai Indians camp are significantly contributing to his development as a spinner in international cricket.
IMAGE: Naman Dhir has bowled 11.1 overs in the first two ODIs against the West Indies, conceding 71 runs. Photograph: ANI Photo
Key Points
- Naman Dhir credits veteran Ravindra Jadeja for providing simple, effective bowling plans tailored to match situations.
- Dhir has been actively working on his bowling, particularly at the Mumbai Indians camp, despite limited opportunities in the IPL due to the Impact Player rule.
- The all-rounder earned his maiden India call-up after a stellar Sher-e-Punjab League performance, scoring 655 runs at an astonishing strike rate of 217.
- Dhir is yet to bat in his debut ODI series but remains focused on contributing to team victories.
- He anticipates a score of 290-300 to be competitive at the PCA Stadium in Mullanpur for the upcoming ODI.
India all-rounder Naman Dhir understands that his bowling is still a work in progress but believes that tips from veteran Ravindra Jadeja and constant training at Mumbai Indians nets have helped him take confident strides as a spinner.
Dhir, who made his international debut during the first ODI against the West Indies in Thiruvananthapuram, is yet to take a wicket in his two-match-old career but has maintained an economy rate of six across two tall-scoring matches.
Ravindra Jadeja’s Influence On Naman Dhir’s Bowling
“I spoke quite a bit with Jaddu bhai, and he gave me simple plans to bowl according to the batter and what the match situation demands — whether you need to take a wicket or contain runs, what lines and lengths to bowl. It has been very helpful for me,” Dhir told the media ahead of the third ODI in Mullanpur.
Dhir said he has been working on his bowling since entering the IPL but has not always had the desired level of opportunities because of the Impact Player rule.
“I have been bowling right from the start. Yes, I haven’t been seen bowling much-even in the IPL. You don’t bowl often because of the Impact Player rule, and you don’t always need to.
“But I bowl for my state (Punjab), and I also bowled in our recent league (Sher-e-Punjab). Since entering the IPL, I guess I started working a bit more on my bowling, especially in the Mumbai Indians camp, which helped me a lot,” he said.
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Naman Dhir’s IPL and State Cricket Bowling Journey
The 26-year-old earned his maiden India call-up after a sensational Sher-e-Punjab League campaign in which he scored 655 runs in 10 innings at an astonishing strike rate of 217.
However, the 26-year-old is yet to get an opportunity with the bat in his debut series.
Asked if he had any regret about not getting to bat on a batter-friendly surface in Guwahati where more than 800 runs were scored, Dhir said the thought of batting has always been on his mind.
“The thought of batting is always on your mind, no matter what game it is. But yeah, it was good that we won the match, and won it convincingly by chasing a huge total,” he said.
Batting Aspirations and Mullanpur Pitch Analysis
Dhir has played plenty of cricket at the PCA Stadium at Mullanpur, which will host its first men’s ODI on Saturday.
He feels a total of 290-300 could be a good score at this venue.
“Based on what I know, if it is prepared the usual way, around 290-300 would be a good total,” he said.
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