Indian cricketer Shivam Dube says that apart from Hardik Pandya, Team India needs one more all-rounder as it will increase the team's chances of winning.
Shivam Dube came into the limelight when he smashed leg-spinner Pravin Tambe for five sixes in an over in a Mumbai T20 League fixture. The swashbuckling all-rounder repeated the same feat in the Ranji trophy 2018, which made Royal Challenges Bangalore (RCB) bag him in IPL 2019.
The Mumbaikar didn’t get much chance in IPL 2019 as he played only four matches and managed to score just 40 runs. However, it was an underwhelming performance by the former in IPL 2020, which took place in UAE.
He did play a couple of cameos but managed to score only 129 runs with the bat in 11 matches he played, and scalped 4 wickets with the ball at an average of 18.42, and was released by RCB before the IPL 2021 auction.
Shivam Dube aims to perform well for India instead of replacing Hardik Pandya
Hardik Pandya’s injury opened the door for Shivam Dube in the Indian team as he made his international debut in the three-match T20I series against Bangladesh and then later in series against West Indies the southpaw notched up his maiden half-century.
Dube failed to continue his form and didn’t get a longer run in the national team and has played just 13 T20Is and only one ODI so far.
In an interaction with Sportskeeda, Shivam Dube recalled his experience at RCB. He remarked that he would have liked to bat up the order for Virat Kohli-led side and is satisfied with his performances in RCB.
“Definitely I would have liked to have batted higher up the order at No.4 or No.5 for RCB. But it is something that the captain and management decide according to what is better for the team.
"I didn't have a bad season (IPL 2020) since it was not easy to consistently hit 2-3 sixes at the death and I was also bowling in the middle-overs. Releasing me was the choice of the franchise and I am okay with whatever they decided. I have the satisfaction that whenever I was called upon to bowl or bat, I did well for RCB," Shivam Dube told Sportskeeda.
Dube claimed that the Indian team needs one more seaming all-rounder and he will try his best to occupy that spot. He also added that more all-rounders make a team more perspicuous and he will try to provide that for India.
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"You have Hardik Pandya, but you need to have one more all-rounder in the Indian team because getting a seaming all-rounder is always a difficult job. My job is to keep on performing and knocking on the door of the selectors.
"You see other countries playing 2-3 all-rounders because they always change the course of the game. I definitely feel I will be a part of the future Indian team. Playing more all-rounders will increase India's chances of winning,” he said.
Shivam Dube represented Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2021. He played 6 matches for RR in IPL 2021 and scored 145 runs at an average of 24.16 and with a strike rate of 117.88.
(Sportskeeda inputs)
