The former India wicketkeeper-batter assesses the Punjab all-rounder's chances ahead of the West Indies ODI series.
Naman Dhir earned his maiden ODI call-up when India announced its squad for the West Indies series on September 16, 2026. The Punjab all-rounder was selected as a finisher who can bowl off-spin, filling the gap created by Washington Sundar's absence due to the Asian Games in Japan. The three-match ODI series begins on September 27, 2026, at Thiruvananthapuram, with subsequent matches scheduled for Gawahati on September 30 and New Chandigarh on October 3.
Dinesh Karthik, the former India wicketkeeper-batter, has offered a candid assessment of Dhir's prospects for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2027.
"In all honesty, I don't think Naman Dhir will fancy a chance in the World Cup. A lot of things have to go wrong before it goes right for Naman Dhir. He is an off-spinning all-rounder, and obviously, you have Washington Sundar who has been there and done it so well that it is very hard to replace him in the squad right now. How many spinners will you take? You might not need so many spinners in South Africa," Karthik said on Cricbuzz.
Karthik highlighted the depth of competition in India's spin department and the specific demands of World Cup cricket. The presence of an established performer like Sundar, combined with the uncertainty around spinner requirements for the 2027 World Cup in South Africa, creates a challenging environment for Dhir's selection prospects. Karthik acknowledged that Dhir's selection for the West Indies series reflected his recent performances but cautioned against overestimating his World Cup prospects.
"Not many thought Naman Dhir would be there, but the fact that he has been awarded this tells you how well he has done in domestic cricket. We have seen that he has done well for the Mumbai Indians. I don't think the Sher-e-Punjab would have counted for this selection, but he did phenomenally well there. I do think this is a good opportunity, I won't say a great opportunity because, no matter what he does, the chances aren't going to be that much in the near future," Karthik said.
Dhir's domestic credentials have been impressive in recent months. In the Sher-e-Punjab T20 League 2026, he scored 173 runs off 64 balls and finished the season with 655 runs across 10 matches at a strike rate of 217.61. In List-A cricket, Dhir has taken 7 wickets across 8 matches, demonstrating his value as a bowling all-rounder.
The West Indies series formed part of India's momentum-building phase towards the 2027 World Cup. Dhir's performance in the upcoming ODIs provided valuable data on his readiness for international cricket, though Karthik's remarks suggested that immediate World Cup selection remained unlikely regardless of his contributions in this series.