India rode on Shivam Dube's splendid all-round performance to hammer Afghanistan by six wickets in the first T20I on January 11. The star southpaw scored 60 runs from 40 deliveries, marking his second T20I fifty, to help India easily overhaul Afghanistan's 159-run target with 15 balls and six wickets to spare in Mohali. With this win, India now lead the three-match series 1-0, as they gear up for the T20 World Cup in June. Shivam Dube finished the match in style, hitting a six and a four to secure the victory. Now India will look to replicate their first T20I show in the second one and seal the series.
Notably, this will be India's last T20I series before the upcoming T20 World Cup as players are leaving no stone unturned to draw selectors' attention for the showpiece tournament. Shivam Dube is also among those players who will be vie for the coveted place in India's squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Meanwhile, on the eve of the second T20I against Afghanistan in Indore, Shivam was posed a question about his participation in the forthcoming World Cup, to which he said," It is in my mind to play World T20. But, it is still far away. I am taking it one game at a time."
Talking about his last match performance, the 30-year-old, in the pre-match press conference, said,"It was a good performance in the last match. I will try and improve in the coming games. I will be looking to contribute better with both bat and ball."
Here's are the excerpts from Shivam's pre-match press conference:
How important is this series?: “Team combination and planning is the key. The more we play T20Is, the more we will know the combinations and more the opportunities.”
On IPL 2024: “IPL 2024 will be very important. That is a big platform from where you can come into the team.”
On Virat Kohli: “He has arrived. The management will decide whether he plays.”
Key aim: “Aim is to improve bowling. I bowled well in the last game. I would want to improve on that and contribute more consistently.”
Indore as a venue?: “It is good for batting. For bowlers, it will be slightly difficult.”
Role?: “There is no clear cut role.”
Afghanistan's threat: “They are a tough team in T20s. Most of the players play in the international leagues. They are doing really well. All the players are doing very well.”
Notably, 2024 T20 World Cup will be played from June 2 to June 29. With no more T20I series scheduled before the T20 World Cup, every performance against Afghanistan carries added weight. Talking about other young guns who will be in fray to make their case for the showpiece event, Jitesh Sharma, in particular, has a chance to solidify his position as the preferred wicketkeeper-batter in the second T20I, having already moved ahead of Ishan Kishan since his inclusion in the team during the Australia series last year. Despite his contributions so far, Sharma is aware that a more substantial innings is needed to strengthen his claim for a more permanent spot.
Similarly, Tilak Varma started his T20I career impressively with notable performances against the West Indies. However, his form has seen a dip since then, with only a handful of significant scores. The effort to develop him as a part-time off-spinner has also not been very fruitful.
Virat Kohli's return to the squad for the second match adds another dimension to the team dynamics, potentially impacting Varma's place in the playing eleven. Axar Patel's recent inclusion in the Test squad against England, coupled with his effective performance in the first T20I against Afghanistan, shows his growing importance in both red and white-ball formats.
Washington Sundar, who has recently made a comeback, is yet to make a notable impact. The second T20I offers him a chance to change this narrative. The pitch in Indore, known for its assistance to batsmen, might favor Sharma and Varma, but it also demands that Axar and Sundar be at their best with the ball.
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