Team India all-rounder Naman Dhir, who made his T20I debut in the first T20I against the West Indies in Lucknow on Tuesday, October 6, has reckoned that playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL) prepares players for the international stage.
Speaking at the post-match press conference after India’s eight-wicket win in the first T20I of the five-match series, Dhir asserted that he didn’t feel much pressure as he has already played highly competitive cricket against major players in the cash-rich league.
“Playing the IPL prepares you for international cricket. There is very good competition in the tournament. If you are playing the IPL, and that too for a team like Mumbai Indians (MI), then you are prepared for the big stage, that’s what I feel. You don’t feel that much pressure in international cricket. And this is exactly what I am experiencing here,” Dhir said.
The Mumbai Indians (MI) all-rounder returned with impressive figures of 3/31 from four overs on his T20I debut as he got the wickets of Shai Hope, Romario Shepherd and Shamar Springer in India’s comfortable win.
“I practice during the IPL, even though I play as the Impact Player. I practice here as well. Bowling two or four overs is nothing new for me. I have bowled 6-7 overs in one-dayers as well. I just look to execute my plans well,” he added.
Further, Dhir revealed that he watched all-rounder Axar Patel bowl in the powerplay and observed how the ball was gripping when he bowled it slowly and followed suit. Notably, Dhir also made his ODI debut in the just-concluded three-game ODI series vs West Indies, scoring 30 runs and picking up one wicket in three games.
“I watched Axar bowling in the powerplay. He was bowling it slow and it was turning. I also felt that if I bowled slowly, I could get some grip off the wicket. I stuck to my plans, did the basics right and got the desired results,” he concluded.
