Curated By: Feroz Khan
News18.com
Last Updated:
Hyderabad, India
Shivam Dube has scored 148 runs at a strike-rate of 49.33. (BCCI Photo)
IPL 2024 will play a prominent role in deciding who makes it to India’s T20 World Cup squad. The BCCI selection committee headed by Ajit Agarkar is expected to pick a 15-man squad later in April for the T20 showpiece set to be co-hosted by West Indies and USA in June.
There’s a fight for several spots, especially in the middle-order but one man has laid a pretty solid claim with his power-packed show for the Chennai Super Kings.
Shivam Dube has been in rich vein of form for the title holders having scored 148 runs from four innings at a strike-rate of 160.87 including a quickfire half-century.
On Friday, he continued his impressive run against the Sunrisers Hyderabad on a pitch where other CSK batters struggled to get going. Dube scored 45 off 24 with the help of two fours and four sixes.
Dube’s latest innings has led to former India cricketers endorsing his name for a spot in India’s world cup squad.
India batting legend Virender Sehwag feels that Dube should be on the plane for the world cup and that he has also put the likes of Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant under pressure.
“The kind of form he’s (Dube) in, his ticket for the T20 World Cup should be confirmed. He’s put a lot of players under pressure be it Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Suryakumar Yadav or other middle order batters. Even Rishabh Pant. Others will have to perform consistently now if they want T20 World Cup. And that should be the way forward – pick those who are in form,” Sehwag said on Cricbuzz.
Legendary allrounder Yuvraj Singh feels that Dube has the skill to be India’s gamechanger.
“Good to watch @IamShivamDube clearing the field with ease !! I feel he has to be in the World Cup squad . Has got the skill to be the #gamechanger #CSKvsSRH #IPLT20,” Yuvraj posted on X.
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Former England captain Michael Vaughan has urged Agarkar to take a brave call and pick Dube in the squad.
“This is where Ajit Agarkar can be brave. Whoever he picks, it will be a formidable team. I think it is the right time to be brave and pick a not-so-well-known names,” Vaughan said on Cricbuzz.
Simon Doull feels that should the pitches in Caribbean continue to be slow then Dube is the ideal batter on such surface and should the allrounder work on his bowling, he will be a genuine contender.
“I haven’t been down to the Caribbean (Islands) in the last 3-4 years , but very rarely do you see a hard, fast and bouncy surface. They are slowish in nature. (If the pitch) offers a little bit of turn…that’s his game. And if he can continue to work on his bowling, he can turn out to be a genuine option,” Doull said.
