Naman Dhir delivered a standout bowling performance of 3-31 on his T20I debut.
Naman Dhir delivered a standout bowling performance of 3-31 on his T20I debut, helping India beat the West Indies by 8 wickets at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Tuesday (October 6).
Despite having very restricted bowling opportunities for the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the IPL due to the Impact Player rule, the 26-year-old all-rounder emphasized that he has maintained a rigorous practice schedule to bowl extended spells whenever called upon.
By carefully observing senior spinner Axar Patel extract grip by dropping his pace slightly through the air, Dhir mirrored the approach to claim the crucial breakthroughs of Shai Hope, Romario Shepherd, and Shamar Springer.
Axar and Kuldeep Yadav also picked up two wickets each as India bundled out the visitors for 171 in 19.1 overs. In reply, the hosts rode on skipper Shreyas Iyer’s swashbuckling 102* off 43 balls to chase down the target with 32 deliveries to spare, taking a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
“I have been bowling for quite some time; it is not as if I have just started now. In the IPL, because of the impact-player rule, you don’t see me bowling as much. But it is not that I haven’t bowled. I have bowled a lot and have good experience here as well. Hopefully, I will continue doing well in the future,” Dhir said in the post-match press conference
“I saw Axar Bhai bowling earlier, and he was bowling a little slower and getting some turn. That was in my mind - if I bowled a little slower, there would be good grip from the wicket, and I could get them out. So I just stuck to my plans and kept things basic. I think I got a good result from that," he added.
Naman Dhir also addressed the misconceptions that he had neglected his bowling, highlighting that he continuously trains as a true all-rounder and has plenty of bowling experience.
“Again, I will say that even if you haven’t seen me bowling, I have been bowling as much as I have since I came here and I have practised just as much before this. It is not as if, as a batting all-rounder or bowling all-rounder, I have neglected one aspect. Yes, my batting is a plus point, but at the same time I am working just as hard on my bowling,” Dhir stated.
“Whether I have to bowl four overs, two overs or even one-day cricket, where I have bowled six or seven overs, it is normal for me. I just have to focus on my plans and try to execute them,” he remarked.
Asked about his maiden wicket on debut, Dhir said the milestone mattered, but his focus remained on execution.
“Obviously, when you get your first wicket, it is an achievement for you, but at the same time I was trying to execute my plans. The idea on that wicket was that we could bowl a little slower, because you were getting more help from the surface,” he said.
His impressive performance in Lucknow came just days after making his ODI debut. Dhir credited his time with the Mumbai-based franchise in the IPL for helping him handle the high-pressure international environment.
“The IPL prepares you for international cricket. There is a lot of competition there as well. So, if you are playing in the IPL, especially for a team like Mumbai Indians, in my opinion you are already preparing yourself for a bigger level. So when you come here, you don’t feel that much pressure,” he said.
Naman Dhir is now eager to get a chance to prove his prowess with the bat. “I am still waiting for my batting. I will be happy if I get the chance to bat, but I am happier that I contributed to the team and that the team won,” he said.
Dhir also recalled receiving his maiden India call-up during a PCA Ranji Trophy camp, sharing an emotional phone call with his father to celebrate fulfilling a childhood dream.
“Obviously, it was a great feeling when I got the call. I was in the Ranji Trophy camp at the PCA. Our tournament had just finished and it had gone very well for me and for our team. It was a surreal feeling. I was with my friends, so I immediately called my father. He got emotional and I got a little emotional too.
“Every child has a dream. So, if you are representing your country and your name has been included in the team, it is a very big thing, especially for me because I come from a small town,” he concluded.
(With IANS Inputs)