Is Naman Dhir becoming Hardik Pandya’s long-term replacement?

Indian skipper Shreyas Iyer had a huge smile on his face when he came for the post-match interaction following the conclusion of the series opener against New Zealand. The 31-year-old wasn’t just happy with the four-wicket win, but he was also proud of how the team performed as a unit. 

The 26-year-old Naman Dhir scored 42 not out off mere 15 balls. Having come to bat in the 15th over, the all-rounder decided to play himself in before going after the bowling. It wasn’t a headless assault, but the knock was an embodiment of a calm and collected approach. 

This was something that didn’t escape Iyer’s notice. “Naman gives us lots of options. With the ball, he is key against left-handed batters, or even against the right-handed batters in grounds like this and bowling two or three overs can change the momentum of the game. It was magnificent to watch him bat, and he showed a calm and composed nature," he said.

After all these exploits, one has to wonder if the Punjab-born star is starting to make fans forget Hardik Pandya with his performances?

How long does India wait?

Since IPL 2026, Hardik hasn’t played any cricket, and if reports are to be believed, then the 33-year-old could make his return before the next IPL season. Where? That’s the one question which hasn’t been answered yet. 

In this situation, Naman can come in handy not only for the national side but also for Mumbai Indians going into the new season. Barring the last two games, the all-rounder has bowled in every match since his debut for the Men in Blue.

Pandya’s recurrent injuries could lead to a dilemma heading into the next World Cup. Cast your mind back to the 2023 event, where the pace-bowling all-rounder hurt his ankle against Bangladesh and was eventually ruled out of the campaign. That cost India the chance to win the World Cup in front of their home fans. 

Agreed, that Dhir is not a pace-bowling all-rounder like the veteran star is, but a few overs in the white-ball formats will not hurt India. He gave ample evidence of that by bowling in the series at home against the West Indies recently, where he claimed five wickets from four T20I games. 

New finisher identified?

If we look at Hardik’s batting spot in T20I cricket, he has batted 32 times at number six and 52 times at number five. Naman Dhir, on the other hand, has already batted at six and seven in his T20I career so far. The youngster has the chance to fill the role that his senior MI teammate has done for India in the last decade. He can play the role of a finisher in the shortest format of the game. 

It was visible on Thursday at the Hagley Oval, when he scored 15-ball 42 not out, while batting at seven. He also scored six-ball 24 not out in the washed-out game against West Indies. In that match, the hosts still had eight balls left with the 26-year-old going after the rival bowlers, much to the delight of fans in Bengaluru. 

The finisher’s role in T20 cricket has been thought of as a player who is needed only during a chase. In modern times, the finisher can also be called upon when a side needs key runs during the backend of the innings in the first innings as well.

Are we jumping the gun or is the hype worth it?

Maybe, because the youngster from Ambala has played a total of nine games for India so far. To step into Hardik’s shoes is going to be massive, and one doesn’t want to put pressure on the young man right at the start of his career. 

Another main thing that has to be looked at is the fitness aspect. How will Naman be able to deal with injuries and fitness concerns going forward, considering Indian cricket has seen many players getting put on the shelf? 

The next few weeks in New Zealand will certainly answer all those questions.