Former Indian batter Hanuma Vihari has praised the Indian selection committee for including Naman Dhir in the Indian T20I squad. Notably, Dhir scored an unbeaten 42 off 15 in the first T20I against New Zealand, helping India take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Vihari lauded the young all-rounder for displaying exceptional maturity while batting down the order in the 226-run chase and taking India to a four-wicket win.
“I thought Naman Dhir showed a lot of maturity. That is the maturity you want in a youngster. He has not played much and does not have a lot of domestic matches either. He has not played continuously in the IPL either. So to play that match-winning knock at this level, I think it is one of the best additions for India in T20 cricket,” Vihari said on his YouTube channel.
It’s important to note that Dhir was included in the T20I squad as a replacement for the injured Washington Sundar. However, Vihari asserted that the all-rounder could well become a permanent member of the Indian T20I team.
“He has come as a replacement for Washington Sundar, and I think he might replace him. He is bowling and batting. I think we are going to see a lot of Naman Dhir in Indian colors. It may be too soon, but I feel he deserves that spot at number seven. He can bowl a couple of overs. It is a perfect fit,” he added.
Further, Vihari backed India to win the five-match T20I series against New Zealand 3-2, while predicting a closely fought contest in which the toss could play a decisive role across the series.
“With the way it is going, the toss will be crucial. I think India will win the series. I am going 3-2 in their favor. But it will be closely contested. I know the skill of batting has been very high. But with bigger boundaries, the bowlers still have a lot to play with. We can also see 180-190 games in this series,” he concluded.
