Three reasons India needs to add Shivam Dube back to their T20 team for the upcoming West Indies series: We Shivam Dube, who made his international debut for India in 2019, has experienced some ups and downs in his career thus far. He struggled to leave a lasting impact, though, and never fully cemented his previous position in the white ball group.
On June 26, this year, the Mumbai batter celebrated his 30th birthday while taking advantage of some well-earned relaxation following a pivotal performance for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). One of the season’s biggest stories in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, which saw CSK win their sixth championship, was his comeback in the middle order.
Only 13 T20 games saw Dube play for India; in those 13 games, he scored 105 runs at an average of 17.50 and a strike rate of 136.36. In 2019, he also played in one ODI against the West Indies.
In a T20 match against New Zealand in 2020, he made his final appearance for India, and since then, he hasn’t been able to push his way back into the team.
India may try to finish a shift within their squad before the next event after a dismal performance in the T20 World Cup last year. West Indies is slated to host the T20 world championship in 2024.
The ODI and Test squads for their upcoming trip to the West Indies have already been revealed, but the T20 team for the five-match series has not. Here are three reasons why the board ought to think about bringing Shivam Dube back into the Indian squad:
1 He’s got enough experience
The same year he played his first game for India, Shivam Duube made his IPL debut with the Rajasthan Royals in 2019. as was previously stated in this article. Since then, things haven’t gone as he had hoped, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t changed as a player.
The player we see today is a result of his early struggles. He has encountered more than his fair share of challenges and has developed with time, which is shown in his performance in games.
Players like Dube, who have sufficient experience at the highest level, may finally get their shot in the shortest format as India prepares to enter a new year. The left-hander, who can also bowl a few overs of medium pace, has demonstrated his abilities and merits a chance.
2 He has benefited much from role clarity
Shivam Dube’s early career was marred by inconsistency, and he struggled to produce performances that did his talent due. Soon after making his debut, his lack of consistency ultimately cost him his spot in the team, and his international career never really got going.
However, in the 2023 IPL Season, he changed for the better. He was able to play much better thanks to the drama surrounding his character, which naturally improved both his performance and his confidence.
There were a few spinners who performed better than him in the middle overs of the IPL 2023, and India might consider using him in a similar capacity. Without Rishabh Pant, the Men in Blue also lack a left-handed batsman in the top and middle order, a situation Shivam Dube might fix if he returned to the T20 system.
3 A perfect example of Shivam Dube’s form
Shivam Dube was a star batter in IPL 2023, hitting some great hits for his team. The flamboyant left-hander amassed 418 runs at a strike rate of 158.33 during the competition, including three half-centuries.
With a number of crucial innings, Dube was one of the major factors in the Chennai Super Kings winning their fifth IPL championship. He hit the second-most sixes in the competition (35), and he was the third-highest run scorer for his team.
Dube has recently been in excellent form, and he has done it while facing some of the top bowlers in the world. As a result, in order to get the most out of him, the selectors should try to get him back into the side as soon as they can.