T20 World Cup 2026: Shivam Dube – A gladiator with a bat in his hands | Cricket News
New Delhi: When the 2024 T20 World Cup squad was selected, Shivam Dube’s inclusion ahead of Rinku Singh raised eyebrows. Rohit Sharma, then the captain, had slammed the Impact Player rule in the IPL claiming it was detrimental to the growth of all-rounders. And here, Dube was picked ahead of Rinku for his ability to bowl. When it came to it, Dube did not bowl in India’s World Cup title run, but his contributions in the middle proved pivotal. The all-rounder scored 31 not out against the USA, 34 against Bangladesh, 28 against Australia and a vital 27 in the final against South Africa.The previous management used Dube as a backup for Hardik Pandya but under Gautam Gambhir, he has blossomed and created an identity of his own. In the past two years, he has grown leaps and bounds, and is in the team for a specific role — dismantle spinners in the middle overs. He is not only navigating the side through tricky phases with his six-hitting but also chipping in with the ball.
Aditya Tare, his former Mumbai captain, compares him to a gladiator with a bat in his hands and someone who has a monster mentality.“Right from the start, one thing that really stood out was his willingness to win the game with both bat and ball. He wants to be in action. He has bowled in every phase in domestic cricket. He never hides away from challenges and cherishes pressure situations,” Tare tells TimesofIndia.com.The CSK hand
File photo of Shivam Dube, who plays for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL. (Photo- X/IPL)
Since joining the Chennai Super Kings in 2022, Dube has been a revelation. Neither Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2019 nor Rajasthan Royals in 2020 and 2021 offered Shivam as long a run in the playing eleven as he has received with the five-time IPL champions.“Belief” is the word Tare used when asked about the secret sauce behind the successful resuscitation of Shivam’s short-format career.“The credit must go to CSK. They gave him a specific plan and belief, which helped him fight his way back into the Indian team. His determination is unmatched,” says Tare.Across four IPL seasons, Dube’s strike rates read 156.21, 158.33, 162.29 and 132.22. He struggled in IPL 2025, and his team suffered the most, finishing at the bottom of the points table.
Dhoni and Fleming gave him a lot of backing and clarity in his role. They made it very clear how they wanted him to play
Rajesh Dube, Shivam’s father
Rajesh Dube, Shivam’s father and a wrestler in his youth, hails CSK’s former captain MS Dhoni and coach Stephen Fleming.“Dhoni and Fleming gave him a lot of backing and clarity in his role. They made it very clear how they wanted him to play,” says Dube Sr.Dube Sr. further shared that since roping in Shivam, CSK had hinted that he was going to be the guy for them. “The faith shown in him has done wonders to his confidence, which we can see in his performances.”The chink in the armour
Shivam Dube’s record going into the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Despite his six-hitting prowess, the vulnerability against short-pitched bowling was exposed in the opening game of IPL 2023 against the Gujarat Titans where Alzarri Joseph and Mohammed Shami tested him with a barrage of bouncers.“Yes, he has an issue with fast bowlers, but when it comes to spinners, he’s a very clean hitter and he’s a tall guy. He has a different reach compared to some other batters, so spinners have to adjust their length according to him,” MS Dhoni had said back then.But Shivam, whose high backlift sparked comparisons with Yuvraj Singh, took it as a challenge and reached out to Pravin Amre, the man who first spotted him as a teenager during an Air India trial. Amre, who has also worked with Shreyas Iyer — another batter who initially struggled against short-pitched deliveries — explained the changes.
Shivam Dube during a T20I against New Zealand. (IANS)
“He used to be more side-on and struggled with balls into the ribs. We worked on that. He now has a more open stance, which has also opened up his front toe, and now you can see the monstrous sixes he hits against pacers as well,” laughs Amre.“Power was never an issue with Shivam. It was a few technical things.”Amre recalls young Dube and what impressed him when he first saw the teenager. “I was with Air India and we spotted him very early. We saw the talent, which is why we picked him and offered him a contract,” he says.“I was with Delhi Daredevils back then and brought him for the trials. He was not selected, but it gave him confidence,” adds Amre.Method behind the madness
India’s Shivam Dube celebrates after scoring fifty runs during the fourth T20 cricket match against New Zealand in Visakhapatnam. (AP)
In his T20I career, Dube has smoked 46 sixes, and for CSK in the last four seasons, he has smashed 100.“I had seen him hit backfoot punches effortlessly through cover and point against seamers. That was enough for me to realise he is a top batter. His height, reach and power make him special. Spinners ko daalne nahi deta bowling,” recollects Tare.“He has a stable base and plays in the V. You will see most of the sixes he hits are down the ground,” he says.If one goes through Shivam’s numbers or binges his batting highlights from the past two years, the reason for his rise stands out. CSK is the reason the world knows him as a prolific six-hitter, followed by the role clarity first provided by his IPL franchise and then by the Indian team management.For Dube, however, improvement has come because of regular opportunities in top-flight cricket.
Shivam Dube in numbers.
“It’s just the hard work I’m doing. I’m getting better with my mindset because I’m playing those matches and batting in those situations. So, I know what’s going to happen and what a bowler is likely to try against me,” Dube said at a post-match press conference in Visakhapatnam.While dismantling spinners remains his primary role in the middle overs, Dube believes his growing comfort against fast bowlers has added another dimension, enabling him to apply sustained pressure on the opposition.“I worked really hard, but I got the opportunity to bowl, bat and do everything in the match. Experience has come to me and it is going in the right direction. Players upgrade themselves all the time.“All players, spinners, fast bowlers and teams upgrade themselves. I can’t be the same as I was. I try to be a little better and a little smarter in the next game. I have learned what my strengths are and where I can target them.”
Shivam Dube plays a shot during the first T20I cricket match between India and New Zealand at Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur. (PTI)
Dube believes his improved comfort against fast bowlers helps him put more pressure on the opposition.“It’s really important. It’s about the matchup. They want me to hit spinners. That is my role to keep the strike rate high in the middle overs. That is what I always try. It’s not just about spinners but fast bowlers as well.“I know that hitting spinners is my strength. I can put pressure on the opposition at that time, so my mindset is very clear,” he said.Dube will be at home in Indian and Sri Lankan conditions. He has worked on his shortcomings, but it is his strengths that he has taken to the next level. The broad-shouldered bludgeoner of the cricket ball has been given a free hand to take on spinners, and the value he offers in terms of strike rate and tactical advantage gives India a decisive edge.
