Shivam Dube Opens Up On Rivalry With Hardik Pandya: The Indian cricket team is currently locking horns with Afghanistan for a three-match T20I series. The ongoing series marks India’s final T20I engagement before the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024, scheduled to take place in the West Indies and the USA from June 1 to June 29.
With just a few months remaining until the global T20 event, the IPL 2024 season serves as a vital platform for players to refine their skills and get into top form.
Shivam Dube Opens Up On Rivalry With Hardik Pandya for India’s Pace Bowling All-Rounder Role
India’s all-rounder Shivam Dube has recognized the significance of the upcoming IPL in preparing for the T20 World Cup 2024. Speaking to reporters on the eve of the 2nd T20I match against Afghanistan in Indore, Dube said:
“It (IPL) would be equally important for all of us, as there are only two T20Is remaining. IPL is a big platform, and if you fare well in it, you get the chance to make it to the (national) team,”
He added:
“There is a team planning and combination in place. The more we play T20s, the more we get to understand it better.”
On a personal note, Dube mentioned that he is concentrating on the current tasks and not projecting too far into the future regarding his inclusion in the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup. He said:
“Any player playing in the team aims to play in the World Cup. It’s definitely in my mind to play the World Cup, but it’s far away. Right now, I am aiming to play tomorrow’s game and take it on a match-by-match basis.”
“It was a good performance in the last game, and the aim would be to better it in the next game, contributing across departments and helping the side win”
Shivam Dube was awarded the Player of the Match for his outstanding performance in India’s six-wicket victory against Afghanistan in the first T20I in Mohali. The tall all-rounder secured bowling figures of 1/9 in two overs and then played a match-winning innings of 60* off 40 balls.
Looking back at his innings, Dube’s crucial knock came at a time when India was facing a challenging situation at 28/2 in the pursuit of 159. Speaking about the same, Dube said:
“It’s difficult when things don’t go your way, and you don’t think about things you cannot do at that time. So, I thought about what I have done in the past would be better. I have practised and processed to be better both physically and mentally, besides working on my skills.”
Dube praised Afghanistan as a formidable team in the shortest format of the game, highlighting their players’ participation in T20 leagues worldwide. He said:
“Afghanistan is a tough team when it comes to T20Is as all of its players play in (domestic T20) leagues. It’s a good opportunity for the side to express itself in front of a top team (like India), and it has been doing well,”
He added: “Afghanistan was not a top side in international cricket a few years back. But, thanks to these leagues its players have come out on top nowadays.”
