Mumbai Indians Coach Kieron Pollard Hails Naman Dhir's Meteoric Rise

Naman Dhir was praised by his MI head coach Kieron Pollard [Source: AFP]

Newly appointed Mumbai Indians head coach Kieron Pollard lavished praise on India’s Naman Dhir, saying the power-packed batter has come a long way since joining the MI setup in IPL 2024.

He broke into the Mumbai Indians' playing XI in the 2024 season, and since then, his stock has risen as the batter became a vital cog in the team in IPL 2026, eventually earning an India white-ball call-up.

Pollard praises Naman Dhir after India his India heroics

Speaking to Cricbuzz, Pollard lavished praise on the Indian batter and was happy to see how far he has come since his debut for Mumbai Indians in 2024.

“Naman has come a long way since he first joined Mumbai Indians in 2024. We saw the potential in him early on, and it has been encouraging to see how he has worked on his game, adapted to different roles and grown in confidence,” Pollard said.

Pollard also added that the focus is on creating a positive environment for Dhir to excel, giving encouragement to such players to deliver the goods on the field.

---

ALSO READ

India’s Quest for Greater Batting Depth Finds the Right All-Rounders

---

“Naman has shown that he has the ability and the temperament to grow into a good player and we want to help him build a long career, built on good performances with the bat and ball. So the focus is on creating a supportive environment and to give all the young players the encouragement they need, to take the next step in their careers."

A look at Naman Dhir's impressive career so far

Dhir became a regular for Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2025 season, and recently, the power-packed batter slammed 173 in the Sher-e-Punjab tournament as he broke several records.

Dhir became a regular for Mumbai Indians in the IPL 2025 season, and recently, the power-packed batter slammed 173 in the Sher-e-Punjab tournament as he broke several records.

In the recently concluded T20I series against the West Indies, he, surprisingly, finished as India’s joint highest wicket-taker (5), and was impressive with the ball on tricky bowling wickets.

Moreover, in the ongoing series against New Zealand, Dhir has been fearless with the bat, scoring a match-winning 42* in the first T20I, followed by yet another crucial score of 31 in the second T20I to help India take a 2-0 lead.

---

ALSO READ

South Africa vs Australia Live Streaming, 3rd Test- Where To Watch AUS Tour Of SA 2026 Live?

---