Former Indian batter Ambati Rayudu reckons Shivam Dube and Hardik Pandya are not fighting for the same spot in the T20 World Cup squad. Indian selection committee headed by former pacer Ajit Agarkar is expected to name India’s T20 World Cup squad in the last week of April.

Shivam Dube has been in sensational form as he has mustered 311 runs in eight matches at an outstanding strike rate of 169.95 in IPL 2024 while playing for the defending champions CSK. However, Dube hasn’t bowled for the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led team.

On the other hand, Hardik Pandya has failed to find his top form while leading Mumbai Indians in the ongoing edition. Pandya has scored 151 runs in eight matches. Furthermore, Pandya has scalped four wickets in the six innings he has bowled but he has conceded his runs at a high economy rate of 10.94.

While Pandya is playing as a genuine seam-bowling all-rounder, Dube has impressed with the bat and has hardly bowled in the ongoing season.

“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 on ESPN Cricinfo.

Meanwhile, Dube scored a scintillating knock of 66 runs off just 27 balls with the help of three fours and seven sixes against Lucknow Super Giants at MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on Tuesday. He scored his runs at a strike rate of 244.44 and played a key role in helping his team post 210 runs on the board.

Chennai Super Kings will next take on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai on Sunday.