Naman Dhir impressed as all-rounder in India vs West Indies T20I series, eyeing genuine all-rounder roleRead on to know the full details.
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Team India all-rounder Naman Dhir (Photo: IANS)
Naman Dhir has emerged as one of India’s most promising finds from the T20I series against West IndiesKnown mainly for his powerful batting, the 26-year-old has shown that he can also make an impact with his off-spin, giving India another option in the all-rounder department.
India used the series to test their bench strength, with young pacers Mayank Yadav and Prince Yadav also making their presence feltHowever, Dhir’s ability to take wickets under pressure and change his bowling according to the batter’s approach made him a notable performer.
His batting also came into focus during the shortened match in Bengaluru, where he smashed 24 runs off just six ballsThe performance offered a glimpse of what he could bring to India’s lower middle order.
Naman Dhir shows his bowling skills
Dhir’s off-spin proved useful on pitches where bowlers had little room for errorRather than sticking to one pace, he regularly changed his speed, delivering anywhere from the early 80s to the late 90s in kilometres per hour.
He finished the T20I series with five wicketsOn five occasions, he responded to being hit for a six by dismissing a batter with the very next deliveryThis ability to recover quickly and stick to his plans became an important part of his bowling.
Four of his five wickets came from deliveries bowled at around 80-90 kph, showing how changes of pace helped him trouble aggressive batters.
Dhir also finished with a dot-ball percentage of 35, second only to Mayank Yadav among the bowlers in the seriesHis figures showed that he could offer control as well as take wickets.
Six-ball cameo highlights batting potential
While his bowling attracted attention, Dhir reminded everyone of his batting strength in BengaluruIndia were 88/4 in a nine-over contest when he walked in with only 17 balls remaining.
He wasted little time, hitting three sixes and finishing unbeaten on 24 off six deliveriesHis quick scoring gave India a late boost in a match affected by rain.
The cameo was particularly encouraging because Dhir had received limited opportunities with the bat earlier in the seriesHis ability to attack pace and clear the boundary could make him a useful option in the lower middle order.
Dhir wants to become a genuine all-rounder
Dhir has also made it clear that batting remains his main priority, even as he works to improve his bowling.
“No, I definitely want to be a genuine all-rounder, but at the time I prefer that I should score more with the bat,” he said during the Hyderabad T20I.
India captain Shreyas Iyer also praised his willingness to bowl in difficult situations.
“Special player, I must sayLike showing that attitude and approach, wanting to bowl in those crucial moments, he realized that the ball was turning, and then he capitalized on it,” Iyer said after Lucknow.
The series has given India encouraging signs of Dhir’s ability to contribute in both departmentsIf he continues to develop his off-spin while maintaining his aggressive batting, he could become a valuable option for India in white-ball cricket.
