India had named a 15-member squad on December 20.
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 is less than a month away, but the defending champions India, have some concerns of their own. Ahead of the tournament, scheduled to be played from February 7, India have a couple of injury doubts in the form of Washington Sundar and Mumbai Indians star Tilak Varma.
Sundar suffered a side strain during the ODI series against New Zealand. Earlier, Varma had sustained an abdominal injury and had to undergo surgery. Both players were ruled out of the first three T20Is versus the Black Caps. If the pair does not recover in time for the upcoming event, India might have to look for a replacement. In that case, Mumbai Indians all-rounder Naman Dhir could be a good left-field choice.
Naman Dhir could be a good fit in the India squad as a replacement for one of Washington Sundar or Tilak Varma despite not being a left-hander. The Punjab youngster is from a rare breed of batters who are capable of slotting in at any number in the order. This flexibility makes him a valuable asset to have in the squad.
Speaking of his form, he has hammered three fifties in the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26, including a 97-run knock. Earlier in the Syed Mushtaq Ali 2025, he made 235 runs from eight innings at an average of 33 and a strike rate of 152.
Dhir is also a pretty decent part-time off-spinner, providing another dimension to the team. India head coach Gautam Gambhir is known for his affinity for multi-dimensional players, often at the cost of specialist roles. Ayush Badoni was recently called up to the ODI side as Sundar’s replacement for this very reason. Being a flexible batter with off-spin value means Dhir could have a chance.
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One of the reasons Naman Dhir could have a shot at making it into the India squad is his ability as a finisher that he has proven for the Mumbai Indians. He was one of the best lower-middle-order batters in the IPL 2025, where he made 252 runs at an average of 31.50 while striking at 182. In death overs, he had a strike rate of 206.
Dhir outperformed Hardik Pandya and came through as one of the standout hitters of pace bowling. Having him on the side could give more cushion to the team, covering multiple roles.
Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma*, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar*, and Rinku Singh.
(* – Subject to fitness)
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