Ravichandran Ashwin Delivers Heartfelt Praise For Selectors After Naman Dhir's Heroics vs New Zealand

India registered a thrilling four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the first T20I of the five-match series in Christchurch on Thursday. Chasing a daunting target of 226, the visitors got off to a blazing start as openers Sanju Samson (67) and Abhishek Sharma (29) stitched together a 93-run partnership in just six overs. However, after their dismissals, India began losing wickets at regular intervals, allowing New Zealand to claw their way back into the contest. With the momentum shifting towards the hosts, it was Naman Dhir who steadied the innings. The youngster forged a crucial partnership with Shreyas Iyer (42) and guided India home with two balls to spare.

Dhir remained unbeaten on 42 off just 15 deliveries, smashing five fours and two sixes. At one stage, India found themselves in a precarious position as the chase threatened to slip away. However, Dhir kept his composure under pressure and sealed the victory in style with a six.

Following the win, former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin praised Dhir for staying calm in tense situations and also lauded the selectors for backing him with a place in the national team.

"We have found a terrific player in Naman Dhir. The selectors' eye for talent was absolutely spot on. Look at the pressure in the final stages when Nitish Reddy came in. There was still pressure, but Naman didn't try to muscle the ball. He simply relied on his timing and played it over mid-off and cover," said Ashwin on his YouTube channel.

"He could have easily attempted to hit that Matt Henry's full toss towards the leg side for a six, but instead, he just timed the ball over mid-off. That's the difference. These shots come when a batter is completely in control of his game. Just class written all over him. A class operator," he added.

So far, Dhir has represented India in six T20Is and three ODIs, scoring 110 international runs. He has also picked up six wickets.

With the victory, India have taken a 1-0 lead in the five-match series against New Zealand. The second T20I will be played at the same venue in Christchurch on Saturday.

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