Discarded India batter Hanuma Vihari made a brutal remark on newcomer Naman Dhir ahead of the upcoming ODI series against the West Indies. The Men in Blue will host the West Indies for three ODIs starting Sunday, September 27. With the Asian Games 2026 and the West Indies series colliding, there have been some changes in the ODI squad. One among them is the inclusion of star Mumbai Indians (MI) batter Naman Dhir, who earned his maiden call-up.
Hanuma Vihari questioned his selection out of nowhere and reckoned that it was a shocking call. Dhir came into the limelight after his swashbuckling 173-run knock off just 64 balls in the recently concluded Sher-e-Punjab T20 League. However, Vihari reflected that his numbers were not convincing enough, barring the one standout performance, albeit in a different format.
“There are many changes in the ODI team, of course, because the Asian Games is happening at the same time. But they have picked Naman Dhir. How is it possible? His domestic numbers are not convincing. Yes, he played a big knock in the Punjab league, and even for Mumbai Indians he has won some games, but it has been up and down. I have my doubts, and it is shocking,” he said in a video on his YouTube channel.
Naman Dhir had a decent IPL 2026 but was inconsistent, as highlighted by Hanuma Vihari. He scored 318 runs from 14 games at an average of 26.50 and a strike rate of 147.22. In the 50-over format (List A), he has 351 runs from 11 innings at an average of 39.00 with four half-centuries. Vihari reflected that the only reason behind Dhir’s selection could be his ability to bowl as well.
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“The only reason I can think of is that, yes, he is a good batter, but he can also bowl. In the ODI setup, there is no one in the top six who can bowl well. Jadeja has come back. But who else bowls in the top six? I think that is why they brought Naman Dhir,” he added.
The MI star bowls off-spin and is considered a batting all-rounder. In first-class cricket, he has 17 wickets in 20 matches. He also has seven List A wickets in eight innings.
Another major change in the squad was the return of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) star and skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad. Hanuma Vihari reckoned that Gaikwad was the perfect fit for the number four position in the absence of Shreyas Iyer and must get an opportunity against the West Indies. Gaikwad last played ODIs during the South Africa series at home in 2025, where he scored a hundred while batting at number four in the second match.
“I feel Ruturaj Gaikwad should get an opportunity at number four. If there is anyone who should take Shreyas Iyer’s place in that middle order, it should be Gaikwad. There should be no second thought. If you remember the South Africa series, he scored a century. Even Jaiswal has scored runs, but if you talk about the middle order, Gaikwad should definitely get a chance at number four,” he said.
Hanuma Vihari was also glad about the return of veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja in the ODI setup. Jadeja last played in the format during the home series against New Zealand in January this year. He reckoned that in 50-over cricket, Jadeja is a better option than Axar Patel.
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“I am so happy to see Jadeja back in the ODI setup. I feel he has still got it in him. If you compare Axar and Jadeja, I don’t know who is a better player as a package, but I feel Jadeja in the 50-over format is still your go-to man, even for the World Cup. In T20 cricket, Axar is slightly better. But in ODI cricket, where you have some time, be it in batting or bowling, Jadeja is a better package than Axar,” Hanuma Vihari reflected.
The veteran all-rounder has 232 wickets from 210 ODIs at an average of 36.54 and an economy rate of 4.88, along with 2905 runs at an average of 32.27 with 13 half-centuries.
