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Chennai Super Kings’ Shivam Dube had a short but exciting stay at the crease during the side’s game against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Friday. The left-handed Dube, who has been used as an Impact Player, produced a quickfire knock, smashing 45 off just 24 balls. Dube might have missed on a half-century, but impressed with his variety of stroke-playing. Dube took on the spinners in particular, hitting Shahbaz Ahmed and Mayank Markande in succession right after the Powerplay. In fact, four of the six boundaries (two sixes, two fours) in his innings came against the two spinners across the seventh and eighth over.
Cummins rightfully took the spinners out of the attack after Dube’s blitzkrieg and former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan made a massive claim on his official X account as he lauded Dube for his knock.
Irfan stated that Dube is the best Indian batter against spin in the shortest format of the game and advised the selectors to “keep a close eye” on the CSK batter as the T20 World Cup nears.
“Right now Shivam Dube is way ahead of any one in Indian cricket as far as spin hitting ability is concern! Indian selectors should keep a close eye on him for the World Cup,” Irfan wrote.
Dube was part of India’s squad in their last T20I series against Afghanistan earlier this year. He made a comeback to the national team after an impressive IPL 2023, during which he scored 418 runs in 16 matches at a brilliant strike rate of 158.33.
Since making his Team India return in T20Is in August 2023, Dube has played in nine T20Is; while he didn’t bat in three, he remained unbeaten in two games against Ireland, and also scored successive unbeaten half-centuries against Afghanistan (60* and 63*) in January earlier this year.
CSK invited to bat
Earlier in the game on Friday, SRH captain Pat Cummins invited the Chennai Super Kings to bat in Hyderabad; the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side faced its first defeat last week against Delhi Capitals but remains third in the points table with four points. The SRH, meanwhile, are seeking consistency after a win and two losses on the board.
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