Shivam Dube has emerged in Mumbai cricket, which is widely considered the Mecca of Indian domestic cricket. When he hit 5 consecutive sixes in an over on the final day of the Ranji Trophy match against Baroda, he immediately made headlines. Luckily, Shivam’s heroics came just a day before the 2019 edition of the Indian Premier League was auctioned. For the same reason, he was the highlight of all eyes before the auction. After a strong bid, he was eventually bought by Bangalore’s Royal Challengers for Rs 5 crore.
As those who are ardent fans would know fast bowling all-rounder is rare in Indian cricket. Ever since Kapil Dev retired, the search for a good seam bowling all-rounder has been on and is still being looked for today. This is a skill that is not easily available, so the demand for the right person for this role is increasing. A fast-bowling all-rounder provides a perfect balance to the team combination, especially if the pitch seam aids bowling.
Shivam Dube earned his first Indian cap in the T20I series against Bangladesh in late 2019. In the ongoing T20 series against Afghanistan, he is in excellent form with the bat and has been consistently scoring half-centuries at a good strike rate. He has also contributed well with the ball and has taken a wicket each in a few matches so far.
With Hardik Pandya constantly ruled out due to injury, and the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 approaching, pundits believe that Shivam Dube deserves a place in the final squad. Let’s take a look at some of the logical reasons for its confirmation.
1) Middle Order/Finisher
One advantage of playing with Shivam Dube in the current T20 series for the Indian team is that he has been able to remain unbeaten and finish the match despite coming to bat early. Ever since he became a part of CSK in the IPL under the leadership of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, his maturity as a batsman has improved somewhat. The No. 4 spot is crucial in this format of the game and in the absence of Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam has grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
In both the matches of the Afghanistan series, he came to bat relatively early after a few wickets in a row, but how has he handled the ship by first partnering and then taking the responsibility of staying there till then? End and end of the match, at least that much is commendable.
2) Left-handed player
The tall, well-built left-handed batsman, who can hit the ball for miles and swings the bat beautifully, Shivam Dube has reminded cricket fans of Yuvraj Singh’s fans. Being a left-handed batsman, Shivam brings variety to the middle order as it eliminates the monotony of right-handed batsmen. This aspect of the game is very important because having a left-right combination in the middle can often cause problems for bowlers, as they have to constantly change their bowling line at every rotation of the strike.
Not only the bowler but also the captain needs to be cautious about his field placement and make the requisite adjustments after the batsman is on strike. So, if the Indian team management decides to include Shivam Dube in the playing 11, they will already feature a left-handed batsman in the batting line-up full of right-handed batsmen.
3) Power-Hitter Batter
There is no doubt that Shivam Dube is one of the cleanest hitters of the cricket ball among the Indians. Those who have an eye on domestic cricket to some extent will be aware of the fact that Shivam has been messing with bowlers for some time now and taking them to the cleaners. Regardless of the quality of the ball, the ease with which he crosses the boundary line is a performance that very few in the Indian domestic circuit can currently be proud of.
In today’s day and era, especially in a format like T20, where the game has evolved, the power hitter is a weapon that any team would want to have in their arsenal without fail. A batsman with the ability to strike at a speed of 150 and above provides the right pace to the innings and can change the course of the match.
4) Improved his Bowling
Shivam’s one aspect of the game that he needed to put some more effort into his bowling. Shivam’s bowling, which is loved by ardent fans of the Indian cricket team, is currently far more disciplined than before. His economy rate has dropped and if the captain needs someone’s help for a few overs, he can rely on him. Shivam has worked his bowling in the last one or two years and the results are there for everyone to see. Having a sixth bowling option in a T20 match is extremely important and Shivam fits perfectly into that role.
He may be tasked with delivering one or two successes in between and he brings more to the table than an average part-timer. The fact that unlike most of the medium fast bowlers in our country, he is unlikely to get an injury certainly adds more value to our team, because in an ideal scenario, one would not want injury to hinder the performance of a player.
5) Fit and Injury-Free
Shivam Dube is always ahead of his fitness. Whenever a player like Hardik Pandya is given a chance in a tournament, he often gets injured, due to which the team management has to find his replacement. Dube is also fit and has not been a victim of injury, so if he plays, then the team management will not have to worry about keeping his backup. Shivam Dube can easily play the entire tournament.
Considering the above points, it would be right to conclude that Shivam Dube deserves a place in the T20 World Cup squad.
Also Read: IND vs AFG: Fans heap praise on Shivam Dube after scoring a half-century against Afghanistan
