Aakash Chopra has likened Shivam Dube‘s striking technique to Yuvraj Singh’s and believes the seam-bowling all-rounder is a strong candidate for a berth in India’s T20 World Cup squad in 2024.
On Sunday, January 14, Afghanistan set India a 173-run goal in the second T20I in Indore. Dube hit an unbeaten 63 off 32 deliveries to help the hosts reach the target with six wickets and 26 deliveries to spare and secure the series ahead of the series finale on Wednesday in Bengaluru.
Chopra commended Dube’s striking skills in a video posted to his YouTube account, saying his strokeplay is similar to Yuvraj’s.
Shivam Dube – the kid’s hitting ability.
He is thirty years old, not a youngster. He began late and did not play cricket for several years as a child owing to family troubles.
I almost quit cricket and then returned. I scored a fifty against the West Indies in one match and then didn’t have many chances after that.
He was returning, but in the two matches he played here, he scored 60 points or more.
In both matches, the strike rate was exceptional, with sixes coming one after the other.
“When he hits, he reminds me slightly of Yuvraj Singh,” the former India opener continued.
In his inning, Dube hit five fours and four sixes.
In the first T20I, India won by six wickets, and the southpaw batted undefeated for 60 runs.
To hit sixes, you’ll need strength – Aakash Chopra on Shivam Dube’s value in Caribbean conditions
Aakash Chopra believes Shivam Dube will be an invaluable asset in West Indian settings.
I believe Shivam Dube is a real contender for the World Cup because hitting sixes requires strength.
On West Indies pitches, you won’t be able to hit sixes with time. The fields are large, and the pitches are sluggish.
To back up his position, the cricketer-turned-commentator provided examples of big-hitting West Indian players, saying: “You need players who hit hard there.”
West Indies players like Kieron Pollard, Andre Russell, Chris Gayle, Nicholas Pooran, and Rovman Powell play like way – no one is a grafter, and everyone tries to bat hard since runs aren’t scored otherwise.
Chopra believes Dube has the potential to be a game-changer and match-winner if he maintains his current form.
He went on to say that the Mumbai all-rounder may be the X-factor that India is looking for.
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