He has made only 110 international runs in six innings across the two white-ball formats, but 88 of those — a staggering 80% — have come through boundaries. The powerful right-hander has smashed 10 fours and eight sixes from the 49 deliveries he has faced in One-Day International and Twenty20 International cricket, which has helped him stack up impressive strike-rates of 142.85 and 285.71 respectively. Naman Dhir loves a flourish.
Nine international outings hardly constitute a significant or substantial sample size, and it is important not to get carried away and anoint him the next big thing in Indian cricket, as has become a trend if not a habit. He will come up short, maybe even in his next fixture, but what has stood out in his brief foray at the highest level is his composure and calmness under pressure, and his ability to back his strengths and clear boundaries with consummate ease, no matter their length. Given his propensity to make a statement with the bat, it should have come as no surprise that he signalled India’s victory in the first T20I against New Zealand in Christchurch with a six. For the first time in his fledgling T20I stint, Dhir did not get a bowl. Apart from being the captain, Shreyas’ credentials are second to none and he has shown time and again that he is immune to the tension that comes with a stiff target ahead of him. But it couldn’t be Shreyas alone who did the heavy lifting. Last Saturday in Bengaluru, in the final T20I against West Indies which eventually met a watery end, Dhir had reiterated the power and timing that nestles in his lithe, wiry frame. Over the next nine minutes and six balls, he made a spectacular impact. Nine minutes? Six balls? Spectacular impact? You’ve got to be kidding.
These are very early days for the 26-year-old from Ambala. Alright, so it came off a top edge as he tried to pull Matt Henry over mid-wicket and only managed to deposit it over the fine-leg fence, but that slice of luck was no more than he deserved as he played a stellar role in India mounting a record chase after New Zealand had motored away to 225 for four. His previous over, against West Indies in Hyderabad just over a week ago, went for 19, and Shreyas Iyer opted not to turn to the off-spinner, instead, using Nitish Kumar’s full complement as the fifth bowler. Perhaps, the Indian captain’s decision was influenced by the experienced Axar Patel’s left-arm spin going for 51 in his four overs, but then again, with Nitish doing a reasonably tidy job – his economy of 10 an over was the joint best for an Indian on the night, alongside the rapid Mayank Yadav – Shreyas had no cause to turn to Dhir. The consensus at the time, with victory 61 runs away and just 33 deliveries in which to be attained, was that Shreyas held the key, even though India batted deep with Dhir at No. 7 and Nitish at No. 8. India needed to score quickly from both ends with the required rate bordering on 12, which is when Dhir stepped up to deliver the knockout blows. 6 to link up with Tilak.
In a match reduced to nine overs a side due to inclement weather, India had reached 88 with 17 deliveries remaining when Naman strode out at No.
Unflustered in the middle, refusing to pre-meditate and backing himself not to blink in his first match for the country away from home, Naman brought up victory with four deliveries to spare, ensuring that the breakneck opening stand didn’t go in vain or that the mid-innings collapse did not pull the team down. Nitish’s share in the unbroken seventh-wicket stand of 20 was just two, with Dhir contributing 18 in just six deliveries, among them two fours and a six.
To many, Dhir was the obvious choice for the Player-of-the-Match award which instead went to Samson for his tone-setting 33-ball 67. But especially at this stage of his career, Dhir is less interested in such ‘mundane’ things and more invested in setting himself up as a permanent choice. And in any case, team before self has been the mantra of Indian cricket for a while now, so why should Dhir be any different?
Maybe, Shreyas knew – the benefit of hindsight? – that Dhir had something special to bring to the table on a cold, dewy Thursday night in the South Island. For India to mount a record chase in New Zealand, they needed many things to go their way – for the openers to lay a solid, fiery platform, for the middle-order to weigh in and for someone to take the game by the scruff of the knock and apply the finishing touches that often look so straightforward but are instead fraught with immense pressure and danger, especially after one or two dot balls.