Live Update: “The fact that he runs like that on the next ball shows that he has practiced a lot” – Yuzvendra Chahal predicts a bright future for Naman Dhir. Punjab Kings spinner Yuzvendra Chahal praises Naman Dhir’s resilience after taking six hits in the West Indies series.
Naman Dhir (Photo Source: BCCI/X) Naman Dhir had an impressive start to his India T20I career in the white-ball matches against the West Indies that began in late September. The off-spinner took three wickets at rates of 3/31 in his first T20I match on October 6, 2026, demonstrating his composure and skill against experienced opponents. Dhir’s performance caught the attention of senior players due to his ability to react positively after being hit by boundaries.
Punjab Kings spinner Yuzvendra Chahal provided detailed observations on Dhir’s proach and mindset during the series. Chahal highlighted the young bowler’s mental toughness and preparation as key factors in his early success at the international level. Chahal’s assessment came after the third T20I on Sunday, October 11, where Dhir conceded three sixes in his third over but finished with the wicket of Kamil Pooran.
“The pace changes and he has the courage to bowl. He dismissed the batsman five times after being hit for a six. It means he tries to bowl the batsman away with every ball,” Chahal said during an interaction on Star Sports.
“It’s not that easy. He was hit for three sixes today (Sunday). However, he has not given up on his strengths and that shows how great a bowler he can become in the future, especially in ODIs and T20Is,” he added.
Executing plans under pressure shows thorough preparation. Chahal highlighted the difficulty of executing certain plans under pressure, especially in T20 cricket where the margin for error is minimal. The senior spinner noted that Dhir’s ability to adjust and bowl the required ball immediately after hitting for a six showed thorough preparation and confidence. “It’s very easy to talk.
Sitting in the AC, it’s easy to see that he should play a certain ball, but when he does that on the next ball, it shows that he has practiced a lot. He has self-belief. When playing on such a small field and in such a difficult situation, confidence is extremely important.
He has worked hard and the club and management must be congratulated for putting their utmost trust in him. Taking wickets like this shows he has incredible courage,” he added. Dhir’s role compared to Kedar Jadhav’s Chahal drew a comparison between Dhir’s role and that of Kedar Jadhav, who played alongside him and Kuldeep Yadav in the Indian ODI and T20I teams.
This comparison provided context for understanding Dhir’s position in the team structure and his expected contributions across formats. “The way he bowls, he plays his role. When Kuldeep Yadav and I played, Kedar Jadhav played with us.
He looks like him, batting at number 1. 6 and bowls five or six overs in ODIs and bowls two to four overs in T20Is. Being an outsider is not easy,” said Chahal.
Changes and variations in the off-spinner line Chahal also highlighted Dhir’s distinctive bowling proach and the rarity of off-spinners performing at such a level in T20 cricket. Line variation and the ability to create confusion among batters have been identified as Dhir’s key strengths, distinguishing him from other bowlers in this format. “I have seen an off-spinner behave like this in T20s after a very long time.
He doesn’t care about the wicket or the field. The way he changes the text and the confusion he creates are his strengths,” said Chahal. Also Read: ‘Simply ridiculous’ – Dilip Vengsarkar questions BCCI’s decision to schedule India tour for 2026-27 season. Ranji Trophy Dhir continued his strong performance in the third T20I on October 11, 2026 at the Holkar Stadium in Indore where he picked up two more wickets as India defeated the West Indies by 14 runs to take a 2-1 series lead.
His consistent performance across multiple games showed that his debut performance was not a one-off but reflected true skill and preparation.
