Chennai: Despite the fireworks Naman Dhir has produced with the bat, his T20I debut against the West Indies was understated. Ten deliveries into his debut, the 26-year-old from Ambala showed his cricketing smarts, cramping an on-song Shai Hope for room with a loopy delivery.
Dhir's first impression with the ball was an instant success. As the innings progressed, he showcased more of his repertoire, varying his pace and using the crease cleverly to dismiss Romario Shepherd and Shamar Springer. His figures of 3/31 offered an early indication that there was more to his game than his batting exploits suggested.
"Even if you haven't seen me bowling, I am bowling the same amount that I have done here. I have practised the same amount," Dhir said after the West Indies series. "It's not like I am a batting allrounder or a bowling allrounder. Yes, my batting is a plus point, but at the same time, I am working as hard at bowling."
In a series dominated by the batters, Dhir finished with five wickets at an average of 22.80, the second-best among the Indian bowlers. His bowling strike rate of 12.0 also highlighted his effectiveness. Across his 37-game Indian Premier League (IPL) career, Dhir was used sparingly as a bowler, bowling just 52 balls and in conditions that heavily favoured spinners.
But here in India’s blue, the trust seemed instant.
His scores of 4*, 10 and 0 in his first three outings, however, offered little indication of Dhir as a batter. After all, batting remained his primary responsibility at Mumbai Indians, where he had amassed 710 runs in 33 innings at a strike rate of 163.97, including three half-centuries. It changed in the fifth T20I against West Indies in Bengaluru when the Punjab all-rounder teed off to 16 off three balls before finishing on 24 off six.
It wasn’t until India arrived in Christchurch that Dhir answered India’s prayers. Chasing 226, India was well placed at 115/1 after 8.5 overs, but Sanju Samson’s dismissal triggered a mini-collapse that saw India reduced to 122/4 and later 167/5, still needing 59 runs from 33 balls.
From two off two balls, the 26-year-old took the attack to the opposition, with five fours and two sixes to remain unbeaten on 42 off 15 balls, striking at 280.00. Soon after, his skipper Shreyas Iyer was impressed, stating, “He gives us lots of options. I personally feel the calm and composed nature he showed tonight was magnificent.”
If the first knock in New Zealand was about meeting the required run-rate, his display in the second showed why he’s a vital cog in this Indian outfit in Hardik Pandya’s absence. At 70/5, with Nitish Kumar Reddy the last recognised batter, Dhir had to steady the ship with Tilak Varma and also ensure the required run rate didn’t climb beyond reach.
On a night where taking on spinners was a tough proposition, Dhir did so with ease, first hitting Mitchell Santner for a six before punishing Michael Bracewell with a four and a six to race away to 30 off 15 balls while Tilak was still on six off six.
“I was telling Naman [Dhir] we will push hard when the spinners were bowling. Unfortunately, Naman got out in Mitchell's last over. Otherwise, we could have won in the 18th [over],” Tilak said after the clash.
India's search for multi-dimensional T20 cricketers makes Dhir an interesting proposition. His batting exploits have opened the door, but his ability to contribute with the ball offers India another tactical option.
Early in his international career, he has already shown glimpses of what he can bring to both departments, with 143 runs (242.37 strike rate) and five wickets (27.40 average). The challenge now is to turn those glimpses into consistency. For Dhir, the ambition is not just to establish himself as another middle-order batter, but to become a cricketer India can turn to in more ways than one.