Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was highly impressed with Naman Dhir’s performance in the first T20I against New Zealand. He also played a key role in India’s four-wicket win in the series opener. India chased down 226 in 19.4 overs, which was their highest successful run chase, where Naman Dhir smashed an unbeaten 42 off just 15 balls with five fours and two sixes at a strike rate of 280 as well.

“What class batting it was from Naman Dhir. He is justifying his selection time and again. His track record and credentials are not really there. So there was a point. But he is really proving what the selectors may have seen in him,” he said on ‘Ash ki Baat’.

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“Naman stamped his authority as a finisher. We have found a great player as a finisher. Whatever the selectors saw was absolutely right. There was still pressure on. But he did not use power, he relied on timing. This happens only when someone is in control. Class written all over. For me, there is a lot of worth in him. Just a class operator,” he again shared.

Ravichandran Ashwin also praised Team India opener Sanju Samson for his stunning knock that set the tone for the chase.

“Sanju batted very smartly. The pull shot that he played was in front of square. He did not look to muscle the ball, which he does often. He depended more on timing and played some classy shots. It was just exceptional. Sanju and Abhishek put the New Zealand fast bowlers under so much pressure that they could just not come back from there. Shreyas Iyer batted very calmly, and he was composed. But the reason for that was the start they got in the powerplay,” he concluded.