Follow UsShivam Dube didn’t get a chance to showcase his batting in India’s opening game of the Asia Cup 2025 against the UAE in Dubai on September 10 (Wednesday), but the 32-year-old still left a mark with the ball. Bowling right-arm medium pace, Dube delivered two overs of precision, claiming three wickets for just four runs - his best bowling figures in T20 cricket.
The Impact Player rule in the IPL has limited Dube’s bowling for Chennai Super Kings (CSK), with him sending down only three overs across the last three seasons. While he has bowled regularly for Mumbai in domestic cricket, his role with the ball at the international level had largely been sidelined, until now. Under the new leadership of head coach Gautam Gambhir and T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav, Dube has been handed more responsibility with the ball.
Against the UAE, he came in as India’s sixth bowling option, with the management assuring him that he would contribute an over or two in most games. In his last three T20Is, Dube has bowled four overs and picked up five wickets at an economy of under 4. Dube said a big part of that turnaround has been his work with India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel.
“Morne has been working with me since I came back into the Indian team for the England series. He has given me certain specific advice and I worked on them. He told me to bowl a line that is slightly outside the off-stump. He also worked with me in developing a slower delivery and tweaked my run-up a bit. The head coach and the skipper had told me that my bowling would have a role to play,” Dube revealed after India’s nine-wicket win.
"The scheme of an allrounder has been reduced (because of the Impact Player rule in the IPL). Because of that, in the IPL, there wasn't a necessity for me to bowl. But, from my side, I was always prepared. Every match, I was ready to bowl. I was working really hard before the IPL also. I spent two months working on my fitness and bowling."
Talking about another fast-bowling all-rounder in the Indian set-up, Hardik Pandya, Dube said: "Hardik is someone from whom I always learn. He is like a brother to me. As a cricketer, he has a lot of experience in international cricket and IPL. So I feel I have a lot to learn from him with regards to both batting and bowling. I have never thought about comparison. I just thought I should get something from him with which I can improve myself."
On his batting, Dube said he has been working hard on increasing his range of shots. “For the last two months, I have worked a great deal on my fitness. As far as my batting is concerned, I know I have a role to play (as a power-hitter) in the middle overs. I know over the years, bowlers targeted me with short balls, and I have worked on increasing my range of shots.”
Looking ahead to India’s next clash, Dube stressed that every international match carries weight, regardless of the opposition. “Whenever we play for India, we don’t consider any match as a warm-up match. It’s about pride to play for the country. Be it against UAE or Pakistan, every game is important for me. Gauti bhai always said this: whenever you represent India, it is a chance to do something miraculous.”
India will now face arch-rivals Pakistan in Dubai on September 14 in what promises to be a much sterner test.