Shivam Dube has transformed into an established allrounder who can deliver the goods when Team India needs him the most as he proved by playing a match-winning knock and also claiming two wickets in a T20 World Cup match against Netherlands on Wednesday.
He walked out to the crease when India were 69 for 3 in nine overs and the situation demanded him to play the waiting game. Dube played a clinical innings under pressure by scoring 66 off 31 balls that powered India to reach 193 for 6.
When he started off as an international cricketer, Dube struggled against the short ball and had to put in real hard work during the off-season to overcome the problem. In his post-match interview on Star Sports after receiving the Player of the Match award, Dube also credited MS Dhoni for the turnaround in his game.
“There was a time when I came to IPL, I was struggling a bit against short balls, at that time I was not able to hit them so cleanly, but then I realised that if I have to dominate at this level and I have that power, then why should I lag because of one thing, so I worked a lot on that thing during the off season,” Dube said.
“Mahi bhai (MS Dhoni) had told me that it is not necessary that you have to hit a six on that ball, you can hit a boundary or take a single, so that thing was always in my mind that when I come in at the start,” he added.
Dube has been part of the Chennai Super Kings outfit since 2022 and definitely the experience at the franchise and the time spent with Dhoni helped him turnaround his game.
When Dube walked into the press conference room on Wednesday after the match, he was again asked about his approach to playing the short ball, “I am getting better,” he said.
“I know, yes, this bowler can come to me on this ball, or a fast bowler can bowl short or slower balls – I’ve worked on those things. And now I’m getting better. Game awareness is important and it has gotten better from my side.
“When I first came to CSK, there was something I was struggling with. It was important to come back strong, because I know I can dominate. I worked really hard on the short ball. I knew it’s not going to be easy, but got to give it extra time and play extra balls. That’s what I did,” Dube explained.
