Naman Dhir’s selection for the ODI series against the West Indies last month may have appeared sudden, but it was based on a specific requirement. Cricbuzz understands that the team management and the selection committee wanted an alternative to Washington Sundar, whose nine-year career in India’s white-ball teams has been disrupted by frequent injuries. Since making his debut in 2017, Washington has featured in only 34 ODIs.
The role called for a batter capable of batting at No. 7 or 8 with an ability to bowl five to six overs of finger spin – the specific combination Washington offers. Dhir appeared suited to the job. Whether he has fulfilled that role consistently across the three ODIs is debatable, but he was subsequently drafted into the T20I squad to take on West Indies as well, replacing Washington, who was asked to prepare for the red-ball matches ahead of the two Tests in New Zealand.
Since his selection, Dhir has featured in all six matches – three ODIs and three T20Is – and has looked to make an impact in the role. He has played one notable innings with the bat, scoring 30 in the third ODI in New Chandigarh, and contributed with the ball. His 2 for 39 in the third T20I in Indore on Sunday helped India defend 223.
“A special player,” said Shreyas Iyer of Naman. “I like that attitude and approach, wanting to bowl in those crucial moments, he realized that the ball was turning, and then he capitalized on it. Such a commendable performance by him, and I love his attitude,” the India captain said after the match in Indore on Sunday night.
The selectors identified the potential of an all-rounder in Dhir, who did not bowl a single over for Mumbai Indians in the last IPL, where the Impact Player rule allowed teams to field an extra bowler. He has, however, been a regular bowling option across other competitions, including first-class, List A and T20 cricket.
“I’ve seen him from under-14 days. So I know how well he can bowl. Obviously, he has that talent of bowling, we already saw that in the last game as well, statemate Abhishek Sharma said after the Indore game.
“But you have to just tell him the plan probably. It’s at that moment probably when a bowler doesn’t think too much. When he got hit for two sixes back to back, I was like… because I’ve seen him from previous matches as well. We want him to just bowl the best ball. That was his off spin. That actually helped him in the next few balls. But I think the way he’s bowling, he’s gonna do really well for India in next few years as well.”
Before joining the Indian team in Thiruvananthapuram for the first ODI, Dhir trained with the Mumbai Indians squad at Reliance Corporate Park in Navi Mumbai. MI officials said he spent almost a week working on both his batting and bowling. In the three ODIs, he returned figures of 0 for 33 (five overs), 0 for 38 (6.1 overs) and 1 for 33 (5.2 overs). He batted only once, scoring 30 off 21 balls in New Chandigarh.
In the three T20Is, Naman has had limited opportunities with the bat but has contributed with the ball. Apart from his 2 for 39 in Indore, he claimed three wickets in the first T20I in Lucknow, where India won comfortably. In the second T20I in Ranchi, he bowled two overs and conceded 25 runs.
How Dhir fits into India’s ODI World Cup plans remains uncertain. With the tournament set to be played in South Africa, India may opt for just one finger-spinning all-rounder, Axar Patel or Ravindra Jadeja, alongside wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav. Gautam Gambhir has also indicated the possibility of playing Hardik Pandya and Nitish Reddy together as seam-bowling all-rounders, while Harshit Rana is another option in the mix. Washington Sundar, the original choice for the spin-bowling all-rounder role, could also be fit and available for selection and is likely to remain ahead of Dhir in the pecking order. However, identifying alternatives gives the selectors and team management more options.
Dhir, however, may not have done anything to hurt his chances with his performances so far. “I am a batting all-rounder. I got an opportunity to bat in this game (3rd T20I), but I am a bit disappointed that I couldn’t capitalise on it. However, it’s not as if I don’t bowl. The Impact Player rule in the IPL means I get fewer opportunities to bowl there, but I have been bowling ever since I started playing cricket, and I really enjoy it.
“As far as my role is concerned, I have been told by the coaches and captain that I will bat at number six or seven, depending on the situation, so that role is flexible. With the ball, my responsibility is to bowl two or three overs whenever the team needs me,” Dhir told JioStar after the Indore game.
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