Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan heaped praise on Naman Dhir after India secured a four-wicket win against New Zealand at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, on Saturday to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
Dhir played a crucial cameo of 31 runs off 17 balls in the second game. India was in trouble at 70-5 after 10.5 overs but Dhir gave a much-needed momentum to the innings. He added 42 runs off 24 balls with vice-captain Tilak Varma.
Earlier, Dhir had played a blistering knock of 42 runs off just 15 balls in the series opener against the Kiwis.
Irfan Pathan said on his YouTube Channel, “I want to check Naman Dhir’s heart rate! What a player he is. He is also extremely versatile. We have spoken about him before, but he came in and played the pull shot with ease despite being under pressure. It makes no difference to him. He has so much time to play the pull shot, and he executes it brilliantly. Once again, he was outstanding. He played a superb innings under pressure in the first match as well, and he has been equally impressive here. His strike rate is phenomenal, and his batting has been excellent.
“I want to take one of those medical telescopes, put it near Naman Dhir’s chest, and check his heart rate while he is batting. I feel he is extremely cool and calm. His heartbeat must remain very controlled, which is why you cannot even tell that he is batting in a pressure situation, especially considering he has only just come into the team,” he added.
Pathan said Dhir is a decent defensive bowler and praised Iyer for giving him one over at the right time in the innings. Dhir conceded only seven runs in the solitary over he bowled.
He concluded, “One thing I liked was the way Shreyas Iyer gave him an over to bowl at the right time. It allowed the captain to get a bit of breathing space while also giving Naman Dhir the confidence that he can bowl on these pitches too. He is a decent bowler. His release point and trajectory are signs of a good defensive bowler. So, he has also gained a little confidence from getting that one over, but the way he is batting is solid.”
The third T20I between India and New Zealand will be played at Henry Stadium, Wellington on Tuesday.
Image credits: Joe Allison/ Getty Images Sport via Getty Images
