Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra has suggested that the selectors should keep Shivam Dube around the T20 World Cup team. Dube scored a brilliant knock of 51 runs off just 23 balls, smoking two fours and five maximums.
The left-hander was able to hit the ground running, smashing two sixes off the first two balls he faced against Sai Kishore. Dube has performed consistently for CSK in the last couple of seasons and also played a key role in taking the team to glory in the previous season.
Dube scored his seventh IPL fifty against GT and he has been batting at his best for CSK.
Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel, “Although I should talk about Ruturaj Gaikwad as well because he batted well and maturely after getting a life, I am going to go with Shivam Dube. How well is he playing. The number at which Shivam Dube bats, around No. 5 or No. 6, is there any Indian who hits sixes better than him?”
“He hits sixes into the stands while standing in his position. No one has that much strength and no one hits that consistently as well. He used to have a problem against short balls but it’s not there anymore. I do not see anything lacking at this point in time. Keep him around the T20 World Cup team,” the former India opener added.
Chopra added that Dube could be vital for India in the T20 World Cup as he can easily clear the boundary ropes.
“Whether it’s the grounds in Florida, New York or the Caribbean, the pitches are slow and the grounds are big. So you need a powerful batter there, which he actually is. So he is going to be in my scheme of things for the World Cup,” he reasoned.
The renowned commentator also lauded Deepak Chahar’s performance against GT. Chahar returned with figures of 2-28 and accounted for Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha.
“I am choosing Deepak Chahar as the third performer of the day. He first dismissed Shubman Gill. He got him out for the fourth time. He got Wriddhiman Saha out. The ball hit his helmet first and then he got caught in the deep. Deepak Chahar picking up wickets and CSK doing well goes hand in hand,” he said.
Chennai Super Kings will next take on Delhi Capitals at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam on Sunday.
