Defending Champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) all-rounder Shivam Dube was named in the Rohit Sharma-led 15-member squad that will represent India at the T20 World Cup 2024 in June in the West Indies and USA. Dube has participated in the 21 T20I matches for India since his debut in November 2019 and his selection in the T20 World Cup 2024 squad marks the beginning of a fresh chapter in his promising career.
In an interview with Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) before India’s T20 World Cup squad was announced, Dube said that he could not sleep thinking about whether or not he would get selected. He also shared what Rohit told him during the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan earlier this year in January.
"There are a lot. I cannot sleep thinking about it. When I came for the Afghanistan series, Rohit bhai told me 'bowling bhi daalega, batting bhi milega tere ko (You'll bowl and get to bat as well). You just have to show what you are capable of. So that is what I was focusing of because if the captain tells you that they want to see you perform, it motivates you. When I was playing, all I was thinking about was how I could perform better and help my team," Dube said.
In comparison to Yuvraj Singh, Dube said that he feels good when people tell him he plays like Yuvraj.
"I never compared myself to Yuvraj Singh because that would be stupidity on my part. Yes, I do have a bit of his style and I like when people tell me that I play like him. When I joined the Indian team, Ravi Shastri told me that I play like Yuvi paa."
In the ongoing season of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, Dube has scored 350 runs in nine matches at an average of 58.33 and a strike rate of 172.41. Dube has been used by his franchise very efficiently as an ‘impact player’. He has been in incredible form with the bat.
India's T20 World Cup 2024 Squad
Rohit Sharma (C), Virat Kohli, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Hardik Pandya (VC), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj.
Reserves - Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan.
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