Former Indian Test opener Wasim Jaffer lavished praise on 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.
Jaffer said Dhir has the capability to win matches on his own as he has shown the same while playing for Mumbai Indians in the IPL.
Wasim Jaffer said on his YouTube Channel, “Naman Dhir’s knock was special. Winning the match for the team with such a knock at the start of your career boosts confidence a lot. He is a good addition to the T20I team. You need a power-hitter who can also bowl two to three overs in the middle. He is also a good fielder.”
The former Indian batter said Dhir is providing balance to the Indian team, but he also backed out-of-favor Rinku Singh.
“The way batting is happening nowadays, everyone has a bad day. If you have some options, you can rotate the bowlers and not become too predictable. So, in that sense, Naman Dhir gives you a bit of balance. Rinku Singh is also a very good fielder. It would be useless to talk about the batting, as Rinku is outstanding. Rinku Singh is a better finisher than Nitish Reddy, but Naman Dhir has the capacity to hit sixes. Yes, he sometimes gets out with soft dismissals, but he has the capability to win matches by playing such knocks.”
Jaffer reckons Rinku Singh deserves to be part of India’s squad. Singh last played for India in the T20I series against Zimbabwe.
“I still feel Rinku Singh should be in the team. He has proven himself time and again. He has performed and won matches for India. It’s unfortunate that he is not able to find a place in the 15,” he observed.
The second T20I between India and New Zealand will be played at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, on Saturday.
