- According to Pollard, there is still a lot for Naman Dhir to learn and achieve. Mumbai Indians head coach Kieron Pollard hailed Naman Dhir’s development since joining the franchise in 2024 while stressing that the 26-year-old is just at the beginning of his journey.
- Naman Dhir (Source: BCCI) Naman Dhir has been one of India’s standout players in the ongoing T20I series against New Zealand, making successive match-winning contributions in foreign conditions.
- The 26-year-old from Punjab fought at number 1.
According to Pollard, there is still a lot for Naman Dhir to learn and achieve. Mumbai Indians head coach Kieron Pollard hailed Naman Dhir’s development since joining the franchise in 2024 while stressing that the 26-year-old is just at the beginning of his journey.
Naman Dhir (Source: BCCI) Naman Dhir has been one of India’s standout players in the ongoing T20I series against New Zealand, making successive match-winning contributions in foreign conditions. The 26-year-old from Punjab fought at number 1. 6 and 7 and delivered two gutsy innings in Christchurch: an unbeaten 42 from just 15 balls at a strike rate of 280 in the first T20I, followed by a brisk 31 in the second T20I on Sunday at a strike rate of over 180.
After the second T20I, head coach Gautam Gambhir posted a photo of the match’s winners on social media and ctioned it as “Boys become men”, a reference to the young players who have joined the Indian camp including Dhir, Tilak Varma and Nitish Kumar Reddy. The performances reinforced the opinion of the team management and selectors led by Gambhir, who had identified Dhir as a cable all-rounder for Washington Sundar’s role. Indian batting coach Sitanshu Kotak spoke warmly about the youngster.
“He’s a strong player, he knows what’s expected of him and that’s exactly what he’s doing, which is a good sign.” Kotak added: “It’s too early, but I think he’s promising.” His batting technique, the way he builds his base quickly, the power he has, he’s a very exciting talent. “Although Dhir has contributed some useful overs with the ball in the ODIs, he has not been used extensively as a bowler in the New Zealand T20I phase. Nonetheless, his batting power alone made him a key figure in the Indian middle order on this tour.
What did Kieron Pollard say about Dhir’s development at Mumbai Indians? Kieron Pollard, recently pointed head coach of Mumbai Indians, has been closely involved in Dhir’s game since joining the franchise in 2024. The franchise retained him with the ‘Right to Match’ card in the mega auction ahead of the 2025 IPL season, a clear indication of how highly they value the Punjab all-rounder.
Pollard spoke about Dhir’s progress, citing the player’s attitude and work ethic as crucial to his rise. “Naman has come a long way since joining Mumbai Indians in 2024. We recognized his potential from the start and it was encouraging to see him work on his game, expand into different roles and gain confidence.
He is someone who wants to learn, who listens to the people around him and is willing to work hard. It is an important part of a player’s journey. At the same time, one must remember that Naman is only at the beginning of his career.
He still has a lot to learn, experiment and achieve,” Pollard told Cricbuzz. Dhir’s development at MI was hampered by his proximity to high-profile figures, including former coach Mahela Jayawardene, former ctain Rohit Sharma and Pollard himself. He also acquired the qualities of Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav by training with them in the MI environment.
Dhir is a regular presence at the Reliance Corporate Park in Navi Mumbai, where he pears for training throughout the year when he is not on state or national duty, according to MI officials. One of the key lessons he learned from the MI setup was fearlessness, a top-class Gambhir who is also a master in T20 cricket. Dhir himself has spoken about the balance he tries to maintain, and on Pollard’s specific influence.
“If I’m afraid of failure, it’s difficult to throw those punches in that situation. Management also told me that we will support you. Express yourself and play with your clichés.
But at the same time, there is a line between fearlessness and ruthlessness that I must maintain. I talk to Pollard a lot and he helps me a lot with my hitting and my mental conditioning. He always advises me to stay away from outside noise,” Dhir said via the aforementioned source.
How does Pollard see MI’s responsibility to Dhir going forward? Pollard was equally clear about the franchise’s duty to protect Dhir from undue pressure as his career gathers momentum. The MI head coach stressed that a young player’s environment is as important as the talent itself and that the franchise intends to give Dhir the freedom he needs to grow further without placing undue expectations on him at this early stage.
He concluded with a clear statement of intent for the franchise. “As a team, it has always been our responsibility to give him the time, space and support to develop without putting unnecessary pressure or expectations on him. Being part of the MI family means knowing that you have people around you who will support you through all the ups and downs.
Naman has shown that he has the ability and temperament to become a good player and we want to help him build a long career based on good performances with bat and ball. “So the focus is on creating a supportive environment and giving all young players the encouragement they need to take the next step in their career,” Pollard said.
