As Shivam Dube continues to impress in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 batting in Chennai Super Kings (CSK) middle order, there have been calls to include him in India's T20 World Cup 2024 squad ahead of Mumbai Indians (MI) skipper Hardik Pandya. However, former CSK and MI all-rounder Ambati Rayudu is of opinion that the two are not fighting for the same spot.
Rayudu did not criticise Dube but feels that he can play a different role in the Indian side especially when the spinners are operating. He also said that Pandya or Ravindra Jadeja can play the finisher role in Indian side in the mega event.
"Both of them are not competing for the same spot. Hardik and Jadeja are finishers in the Indian team, and Dube is the kind of batter who comes in at No. 4 or 5. When the spinners are operating and conditions are slow, he can hit boundaries and accelerate to change the game. But between overs 16 and 20, Dube's strike rate isn't that high, he fails to hit that many runs. So I feel Hardik and Jadeja have that role in the Indian team," Rayudu said in a conversation with ESPNCricinfo.
Dube’s phenomenal numbers
Dube is currently CSK's second-highest run-scorer in the tournament and sixth in the orange cap race. The left-handed batter has scored 311 runs from eight innings at an average of 51.83 including three half-centuries. His strike rate is 169.95. However, Dube has not been tested as a bowler due to the impact player rule.
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Jadeja slightly better than Pandya
Meanwhile, Pandya and Jadeja have struggled with bat. Jadeja has scored 157 runs at an average of 78.50 including one half-century. His strike rate is 131.93. In CSK all-rounder’s case, he has batted in six innings. Pandya has batted in eight innings and scored 151 runs at an average of 21.57. His strike rate is slightly better at 142.45.
Both Jadeja and Pandya have four wickets each from four games but the latter has been much expensive. The MI skipper has conceded runs at 10.94 runs per over.
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