Naman Dhir's ODI selection praised by Irfan Pathan

Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan has commented on the selection of Naman Dhir for India’s upcoming ODI series against the West Indies. Dhir, a 26-year-old all-rounder, earned his maiden call-up following a high-scoring performance in the Sher-e-Punjab T20 League, where he scored 655 runs in 10 innings.

Pathan suggested that while Dhir is a talented batter, his inclusion may be driven primarily by his off-spin bowling capabilities. He noted that the Indian squad currently lacks similar utility, especially with Washington Sundar unavailable due to the Asian Games and Riyan Parag facing injury concerns. Pathan emphasized that Dhir’s bowling will likely be the primary test for the player during the series.

Additionally, Pathan expressed interest in seeing more opportunities for Yashasvi Jaiswal in the ODI format. He highlighted Jaiswal’s strong statistical record, noting that the young opener should be utilized more frequently ahead of future major tournaments.