Dhir should bat at number six or seven when India are chasing and wickets have fallen, rather than carry the label of a ready-made finisher. His unbeaten 42 off 15 balls at Hagley Oval helped India run down 226, and the win put them 2-0 up in the five-match series in New Zealand. He followed it with 31 in the second victory. The real question is whether his place is secure while Shivam Dube and Nitish Kumar Reddy compete for the same job.
The Christchurch Chase in Detail
Chasing 226 at Hagley Oval in the first match, India were 167/5 when Axar Patel departed in the fifteenth over. The equation had become 59 off 33 balls, which is 10.73 an over, and Dhir came in at number seven with very little room for error. He stayed unbeaten on 42 from just 15 deliveries, a strike rate of 280, and the chase was completed with two balls in hand.
Boundaries supplied 32 of his 42 runs, through five fours and two sixes. In the second match, India needed 181 and were 112/6 in the fifteenth over, and Dhir contributed 31 as the chase was completed. Both innings came when the game had tilted against the batting side, and that context matters more than the raw totals.
Naman Dhir India T20I batting order
The case here is that Dhir fits six or seven in a chase after five wickets are down with ten overs remaining. Reddy suits six or eight better when the side wants an extra seam option as well. That split matters because the two skill sets overlap less than selection chatter suggests.
His IPL numbers support a high tempo. In 2024 his strike rate was 177.21, and 182.60 followed in 2025, before 147.22 in 2026 while turning out for Mumbai Indians. That latest season brought 318 runs at 26.50, so the tempo has stayed high even as the pace slowed. Yet his slot has never settled: on his Mumbai debut he came in at three, and a 2026 Punjab league saw him open.
Rivals for the Same Slot
Reddy batted at number eight in the first match and ended 2 not out from three balls. In the second the order had him ahead of Dhir, and he was unbeaten off 13 balls when he hit the winning runs. He also bowled four overs for 40 without a wicket in the opener, so his value is not only with the bat.
Dube was named in the squad but sat out the second match, and the first game’s reported batters did not include him. That leaves the slot genuinely contested, with three men chasing one role. Dhir bowled in the second game, so both he and Reddy bring something extra to the balance of the side.
Batter | Position, 1st T20I | Score, 1st T20I | Score, 2nd T20I | Career T20I Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Naman Dhir | 7 | 42* (15) | 31 | 37.00 |
Nitish Kumar Reddy | 8 | 2* (3) | Unbeaten (13 balls) | 36.20 |
Shivam Dube | Not reported | None | Not in XI | 28.05 |
Death Overs Evidence Falls Short
No reliable public figures exist for how Dhir, Reddy or Dube score in overs 16 to 20, in the IPL or for India, so none appear here. The match evidence has to carry the argument instead, and it points one way.
Dhir’s 42 began in the 15th over, with Mitchell Santner and Matt Henry the bowlers he faced. Four Santner wickets in the second match could not stop India winning, which suggests the batting depth is doing real work. A finisher gets judged on exactly these moments, when a spinner is on a roll and the target still looms.
Wellington Decides the Next Step
Wellington hosts the third match on Tuesday 27 October. A groin strain sidelined Ishan Kishan ahead of the second game, which brought Vaibhav Sooryavanshi back at number three. A Dube recall would force a choice between Reddy’s seam and Dhir’s off-spin, and that decision will shape the balance of the XI.
Two chases are a thin sample, so the verdict stays provisional. Still, they justify settling the Naman Dhir India T20I batting order question with a defined job: closing chases from six or seven. Anything vaguer wastes a batter who has already shown he can turn a stalled chase around.
Where would you play Dhir in Wellington, and should Reddy or Dube make way for him? Tell us in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
At which number has Naman Dhir batted for India so far?
He was sent in at number seven during the opening match of the New Zealand series. His position is not settled, since he has also opened and come in at three elsewhere.
How many runs did Dhir make in the opening match against New Zealand?
He made 42 not out from 15 balls. Seven boundaries, five of them fours, drove a strike rate of 280 and took India home with two balls remaining.
Who is Naman Dhir?
Naman Dhir is a 26-year-old off-spinner and right-handed batter who comes from Punjab. He plays IPL cricket for Mumbai Indians, where he has built a name for fast scoring in the middle and late overs.
Has Dhir been picked for India’s T20I squad against New Zealand?
Yes, he is one of 16 players in the group that Shreyas Iyer captains. He has appeared in both T20Is so far, which makes him a candidate again in Wellington.
What is Dhir’s IPL strike rate?
His best IPL strike rate came in 2025, at 182.60. In 2024 it was 177.21 and in 2026 it fell to 147.22, and no overall career figure has been published for him.