Naman Dhir has made the headlines with his explosive batting, and former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra believes the young all-rounder has several qualities similar to Hardik Pandya. The Punjab cricketer has impressed everyone with his ability to hit big shots under pressure, strengthening his case for a bigger role as India's finisher.

Naman has delivered two impressive performances in recent matches. After smashing 24 runs off just six balls against the West Indies in Bengaluru, he played another crucial knock against New Zealand in Christchurch. Earlier, Sitanshu Kotak takes aim at fans and experts demanding Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s India selection.

Naman Dhir announced himself in style

Naman Dhir made an impact in Bengaluru during a rain-hit match against the West Indies, which was reduced to nine overs per side. He smashed 24 off just six deliveries, impressing everyone with his clean hitting, though the match was abandoned because of rain.

The youngster carried that confidence into the five-match T20I series opener against New Zealand in Christchurch. India was 167/5 and needed nearly 60 runs from the last 33 balls. It was a difficult situation, and the team needed someone to take charge.

Naman did not start attacking straight away. He waited for the right moment before going after New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner, who is also his Mumbai Indians teammate. In the 17th over, Naman hit a six and a boundary, and he eventually finished unbeaten on 42 off just 15 balls.

With this knock, Naman registered the highest individual score by an Indian batter at No. 7 or lower in a successful T20I chase as India pulled off a memorable win over the Black Caps on October 22.

Aakash Chopra compares Naman Dhir with Hardik Pandya

After the first T20I in Christchurch, Aakash Chopra was impressed by the way Naman Dhir handled the pressure and compared his batting style to Hardik Pandya.

He highlighted the similarities in their strong batting base, height, reach, and ability to hit the ball hard without losing their shape. Amid this, Sanju Samson makes massive statement on social media noise after match-winning knock vs New Zealand.

Aakash Chopra said on ESPNCricinfo, “Every time I see him bat, he reminds me of Hardik Pandya for some reason. There is a lot of similarity in how these two batters set up. A very strong base, again, a very tall guy. So, he's got a decent reach but maintains his composure in terms of one's attitude and how much he can absorb the pressure without playing a bad shot.”

Aakash Chopra reveals what makes Naman Dhir special

The former Indian batter also pointed out that Naman does not look hurried when he walks in with a tough target to chase. Instead of wasting deliveries trying to settle down, he can start attacking quickly while remaining calm and avoiding careless shots, and that ability is important for a finisher.

Chopra explained, “Because there's no time to delay. See, sometimes all batters are guilty of actually taking a couple of balls, trying to get yourself in, and then just delaying the charge, the onslaught a little longer. But in this case, because there is no time, you are forced to start.”

He signed off by saying, “Just hit your straps the moment you actually walk in and the composure to be there and not play a bad shot, not actually getting flustered because the scoreboard is demanding something and the execution. See, one is composure, and the second is execution because you should have the skills to deliver. And he is exceptional when it comes to hitting the long ball without losing shape.”

“He reminds me of Hardik Pandya for some reason” 👀 Aakash Chopra on Naman Dhir after his explosive 42 off 15 balls helped India get over the line in Christchurch https://t.co/9o2ax1fZdK

— Cricinfo (@cricinfo) October 23, 2026