Rise of Naman Dhir: How the ‘jugaadu’ cricketer carved his space

New Zealand India CricketNaman Dhir of India bats during the T20 International cricket match between New Zealand and India in Christchurch, New Zealand. (AP | PTI) NEW DELHI: Eyebrows were raised and skepticism followed when the selectors sprung a surprise by picking Naman Dhir for the West Indies series. But the Punjabi all-rounder has been slowly and steadily coming into his own with performances that suggest his selection may not have been as obvious as it seemed.Dhir has faced skepticism and scrutiny since his early days as a cricketer. So much so that after being repeatedly overlooked by the Punjab selectors in 2021, he decided to pack his bags and move to Edmonton, Canada, where his sister lives. However, assurances from his father Naresh Dhir and his late coach Gagan Sidhu convinced him to continue for one more year. Things were changing quickly for the all-rounder, who always had the uncanny ability to break into a lineup after carefully analyzing the correct hole.Dhir’s childhood friend Sahaj Dhawan, who is currently part of the Punjab Ranji Trophy team, shares an interesting anecdote that sums up the journey beautifully. The two have been playing together since they were 12 and “jugaad” was always an undertone.“Faridkot is considered a minor district (second tier) in the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) inter-district tournaments for all age groups. Naman saw what position the selectors were looking for batsmen in the line-up. He batted in that position. He played in every possible position,” laughs Dhawan.This adaptability may be why Mumbai Indians (MI) used the Right to Match (RTM) card to sign him for Rs 5.25 crore in the 2024 IPL mega auction and now use him as a floater in their batting line-up.

Naman Dhir with Sahaj Dhawan (Special Arrangement)

Before making his India debut, Dhir had only played a few matches, but his impact with the bat and ability to mix things up impressed the team management. The 26-year-old, who plays for Amritsar Soormas, smashed 655 runs in 10 matches at a strike rate of 217.61 with a top score of 173 in the Sher-e-Punjab T20 League.His performances in the tournament impressed none other than Shubman Gill and it was learned that the Indian skipper supported his inclusion in the squad and handed him his debut cap in Thiruvananthapuram.Dhawan says he and Dhir have promised each other that no matter what, they will support each other when they play for India. However, Dhawan could not keep his promise to be there in person when his friend made his debut.

Whenever I texted him ‘happy birthday’, he played well. Now I have decided to do this before every game. Long may this tradition continue.

Sahaj Dhawan | Punjabi cricketer

“I couldn’t find it (I couldn’t go),” says Dhawan.He adds, “I had a Ranji Trophy trial match that day. We were playing against Punjab U-23. I scored 150 and got picked in the Punjab Ranji team. He knew about it and told me to focus on the trial. Naman was over the moon when I got picked.”Dhawan further adds that he has made it a ritual to wish Naman good luck on every match day and it seems to be working.

India’s Naman Dhir, right, shakes hands with his captain Shreyas Iyer, left, after the T20 cricket international between New Zealand and India in Christchurch, New Zealand. AP/PTI(AP10_22_2026_000252B)

“One thing is ours (There is one superstition we follow). Whenever I texted him ‘happy birthday’, he played well. Now I have decided to do this before every game. Let this tradition continue,” laughs Dhawan.Meanwhile, back in Faridkot, Naman’s father Naresh, who worked in a pharmacy, has retired and is enjoying celebrity status.“I am retired now. Naman forced me to retire and he was right too. I am 67 now. I cannot work twelve hours a day,” says Dhir Sr.“I watched his matches in the IPL and we all went to Chandigarh to see him play against the West Indies. Watching him in the Indian jersey was special. I hope he continues to do well and win many more matches for our country,” he adds.Naresh Dhir credits Naman’s late first coach Gagan Sidhu for everything his son has achieved.“Gagan always said, Dhir paji, Naman will play for India. Now, unfortunately, he is no longer alive to see him play for India,” says Dhir.Gagan was just 36 years old when he died of multiple organ failure. He left behind a very young family and Naman along with Sahaj are trying to support them.“He taught us everything. Gagan paji was like an elder brother to us. He used to fight the selectors for us. His son is very young. Now he is our responsibility. We want to be an elder brother to him like his father was to us,” says Dhawan.

Waheguru mehar kare, te tu tarakki kare (May Waheguru bless you and may you continue to prosper). This is what I told him last night.

Sahaj Dhawan

“Gagan paji was very devoted to us. Naman taught us so many things, taught us so many things, even once (Naman was punished by him several times. They beat him up quite a bit, once even with a bat),” recalls Dhawan.The cricketing world has praised Naman Dhir for his calm demeanor, but Dhawan is not surprised by the attention his friend is getting.

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Share an opinion“He’s very calm when he’s firing, but when I’m firing he’s temperamental. When I came out early, then I started abusing, why did I shoot like that, why did I shoot that way? (When I get out early, he hurls abuse at me and asks, ‘Why did you play that shot? Why did you play it like that?’),” says Dhawan.

Lucknow: India’s Naman Dhir, right, celebrates with Arshdeep Singh after taking the wicket of West Indies’ Romario Shepherd during the first cricket match of the India-West Indies T20I series in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. (PTI Photo/Shahbaz Khan) (PTI10_06_2026_000482B)

Dhawan has only one message for his friend, whose journey he saw at close quarters.“Waheguru mehar kare, te tu tarakki kare (May Waheguru bless you and may you continue to prosper). That’s what I told him last night,” he says.Dhir’s journey is a reminder that there is more than one way to do it in cricket. From finding out where the selectors needed batter and adapting his game to suit the role, to accepting the demands of being a pioneer in the Mumbai Indians line-up, he found ways to keep going.This ability to improvise, or jugaad, was matched by the Zindadil spirit that sustained him through years of rejection and uncertainty. The sample size is still small, but with his unbeaten 15-ball 42 at the picturesque Hagley Oval, Dhir showed he has all the shots in his arsenal to be the finisher India need in white-ball cricket.