Naman Dhir has been the flavour of the season — and why not? He has been winning matches for India, back to back, in overseas conditions. And how!
He has proved to be a good investment by the Indian team management and selectors. After the second T20I against New Zealand, Gautam Gambhir posted a picture of match-winners and captioned it by writing, “Boys becoming Men” — a tribute to the young turks in the Indian camp, with Dhir very much among them alongside Tilak Varma and Nitish Reddy.
Cricbuzz recently wrote how Dhir was identified by the Gambhir-led team management and selectors as an alternative to Washington Sundar. R Ashwin went a step further on his YouTube video explaining how Dhir has given competition for players like Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh besides of course Sundar.
In the current landscape of Indian cricket, he may have been the latest star on the horizon. Impactful cameos batting at Nos. 6 or 7 and useful overs with the ball (in the ODIs), Dhir has been a valuable asset for the side, although he is yet to be fully utilised as a bowler in New Zealand.
“He is a power-packed player, he knows what is expected (of him) and he does exactly that, which is a great sign,” India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said recently. “It is too early, but I feel he is very promising. His batting technique, the way he builds his base quickly, the power he has, he is a very exciting talent.”
The 26-year-old has transformed his game since joining Mumbai Indians in 2024, flourishing under the guidance of stalwarts like former coach Mahela Jayawardene, current coach Kieron Pollard and former captain Rohit Sharma. He has also imbibed some of the strengths of Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav by rubbing shoulders with them in the MI camp.
“Naman has come a long way since he first joined Mumbai Indians in 2024. We saw the potential in him early on, and it has been encouraging to see how he has worked on his game, adapted to different roles and grown in confidence,” Pollard, recently appointed head coach of the franchise, told Cricbuzz.
Kieron Pollard, the recently appointed head coach of MI, is pleased with the progress of Naman Dhir ©Mumbai Indians
Pollard further explained the strengths of the 26-year Punjab player, for whom the franchise used RTM card, in the mega auction ahead of the 2025 season. “He is someone who wants to learn, listens to the people around him and is willing to put in the hard work. That is an important part of a player journey. At the same time, we must remember that Naman is only at the beginning of his career. There is a lot more for him to learn, experience and achieve.”
Dhir has been a regular at Reliance Corporate Park (RCP) in Navi Mumbai, working with the MI coaches whenever time permits. MI officials say he would turn up at RCP throughout the year whenever he was not playing for his state or, now, the country. One of the key lessons he imbibed at MI was fearlessness, something Gambhir also advocates in T20 cricket.
“If I fear failure, then it is difficult to play those shots in that situation. Management has also told me that we will back you. Just go and express yourself, play your shots. But at the same time, there is a line between fearlessness and recklessness, which I should maintain,” Dhir had once said. Particularly on Pollard, he had said, “I speak a lot with Pollard and he helps me a lot with my batting and mental conditioning. He always advises me to stay away from the outside noise.”
Dhir was audaciously fearless in his two most recent innings in Christchurch, New Zealand — scoring 42 not out in the first T20I at a strike rate of 280 and 31 in the second T20I on Sunday at a strike rate of over 180, both match-winning efforts.
“As a team, our responsibility has always been to give him the time, space and backing to keep developing, without putting unnecessary pressure or expectations on him. Being part of the MI family means knowing that you have people around you who will support you through the highs and the lows,” Pollard said.
“Naman has shown that he has the ability and the temperament to grow into a good player and we want to help him build a long career, built on good performances with the bat and ball. So the focus is on creating a supportive environment and to give all the young players the encouragement they need, to take the next step in their careers,” the new MI coach signed off.
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