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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the squad for the India National Cricket Team for the forthcoming ODI and T20I series against the West Indies National Cricket Team. The ODI series is set to start on 27th September, with some new names added to the squad; Naman Dhir earned his maiden call-up for the Men in Blue.
India will play three ODIs, followed by five T20I matches with the Caribbean side. The ODI series will clash with the forthcoming Asian Games 2026, and thus several players has been involved in the ODI side will be busy with the multinational event and thus there have been some new additions, with Naman Dhir being one name alongside Auqib Nabi.
In this article, we find out the reasons why Naman Dhir has been added to the ODI squad
Spin all-rounder
Naman Dhir has been a middle-order batter and a part-time spinner in domestic cricket, and his ability to bat in the middle, along with his bowling, provides an extra option for captain Shubman Gill to balance the side. Having players who can contribute in more than one department provides greater flexibility to the captain, as he can turn to the sixth or seventh bowling option.
Though, while playing for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL, Naman has not often bowled in matches. He has bowled 8.4 overs in five innings, leaking 76 runs in the matches, and failed to take wickets in the rich cash league. However, in List A matches, he has picked up 7 wickets from 44.3 overs, and his economy has also been good at 5.84.
A lower-order power-hitter
Though for Mumbai Indians, Naman Dhir bats at No.3, he also has the ability to bat lower down the order and can finish off games as well. He has been a power hitter, especially in T20 cricket, and his ability to smash boundaries makes him an interesting option for the ODI setup.
Hardik Pandya will miss the ODI series, so he can be a good option to bat at that position. Recently, Naman scored 173 runs off just 64 balls for Amritsar Soorma against Mohali Kings in the Sher-E-Punjab T20 League. He smashed 16 fours and 12 sixes during his explosive knock, finishing with a strike rate of 270.31. This shows his ability to strike the ball hard in matches when required.
Lack of options
India have several established top-order batters, and some of the middle and lower-order batters and all-rounders will be busy in the Asian Games, with players like Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar in Japan.
India does not have the option to pick any other spin all-rounder, and thus Dhir has been the only option given his form. Instead of picking another batter, the BCCI has gone for a player who can potentially fill multiple roles.
The West Indies series could provide Naman Dhir with an opportunity to showcase his skills and see whether he can transform his domestic and franchise success into international cricket.
