Naman Dhir has begun to garner attention for his game awareness, finishing ability and clarity of his role in India’s white-ball setup.
His IPL team’s new head coach, Kieron Pollard, cannot help but hail the new superstar on the block. The right-hander has played crucial knocks in his brief ODI and T20I career, finishing and winning games for India with the bat. With everyone lauding the management for Dhir’s inclusion in the Indian team since the West Indies series, batting coach Sitanshu Kotak called him a ‘power-packed player’ who knows what is expected of him.
“He is a power-packed player; he knows what is expected (of him) and he does exactly that, which is a great sign. 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,” India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak said of Dhir recently.
During the first two T20Is in Christchurch, Dhir’s contribution at the end proved vital for India as the visitors won both matches, taking a 2-0 lead in the five-match series. While he scored a brilliant and unbeaten 42 off just 15 balls in the series opener, helping India complete its highest successful T20I run chase, Dhir was clinical with the bat in the second T20I, scoring 31 off 17 balls and laying the platform for another masterclass chase at Hagley Oval.
Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians picked him ahead of the 2024 edition, and Pollard, who was part of their backroom staff, has closely watched and monitored Dhir’s game development, and with that, a boost in his confidence.
“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 said in a chat with Cricbuzz.
“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’s 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,” MI’s newly-appointed head coach added.