Former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin praised Naman Dhir after the visitors won the first T20I against New Zealand at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, on Thursday by four wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Dhir played a whirlwind knock of 42 runs off just 15 balls with the help of five fours and two sixes in the run-chase of 226. Thus, the Punjab batter played a key role in adding the finishing touches and helped India chase down their highest total in T20Is.
The right-hander was able to hit the ground running as the required run rate was almost 12 when he joined forces with captain Shreyas Iyer. Dhir scored his runs at a blistering strike rate of 280.
Ashwin said Dhir is proving what the selectors might have seen while picking him for the Indian squad.
“What class batting it was from Naman Dhir. He is justifying his selection time and again. His track record and credentials are not really there. So there was a point. But he is really proving what the selectors may have seen in him,” Ashwin said on ‘Ash ki Baat’.
Ashwin hailed the youngster for stamping his authority as a finisher and delivering the goods for the team.
He added, “Naman stamped his authority as a finisher. We have found a great player as a finisher. Whatever the selectors saw was absolutely right. There was still pressure on. But he did not use power, he relied on timing. This happens only when someone is in control. Class written all over. For me, there is a lot of worth in him. Just a class operator.”
The former CSK all-rounder also praised Sanju Samson for playing a match-winning knock of 67 runs off just 33 balls in the run chase of 226.
“Sanju batted very smartly. The pull shot that he played was in front of square. He did not look to muscle the ball, which he does often. He depended more on timing and played some classy shots. It was just exceptional. Sanju and Abhishek put the New Zealand fast bowlers under so much pressure that they could just not come back from there. Shreyas Iyer batted very calmly, and he was composed. But the reason for that was the start they got in the powerplay,” he said.
The second T20I between India and New Zealand will be played at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, on Saturday.
