Former Indian batter Suresh Raina has backed Shivam Dube to be part of the India’s T20 World Cup squad along with Hardik Pandya. Pandya is currently out of action due to an ankle injury which he suffered in the ODI World Cup.
Meanwhile, Dube has impressed in the first two T20Is against Afghanistan in the ongoing series. The left-hander scored a match-winning knock of 60 runs off just 40 balls in the opening game of the series. The southpaw once again scored another impressive unbeaten knock of 61 runs in the second T20I against the Afghan team.
Dube added 92 runs with opener Yashasvi Jaiswal for the third wicket and smashed four towering sixes. Raina said that Indian skipper Rohit Sharma will want in-form players for the T20 World Cup and thus Dube’s IPL form will be crucial in his selection.
Meanwhile, Dube had a stellar run in IPL 2023 for CSK, scoring 418 runs in 14 innings at an impressive average of 38 and a strike rate of 158.33. Ergo, he played a key role in taking the MS Dhoni-led team to glory in the previous season.
Suresh Raina said on Colors Cineplex, “Absolutely, if Hardik Pandya is fit, Shivam Dube can also bat. Rohit Sharma is using him well. The IPL form will be very important. As a captain or selector, I will take in-form players, who will score runs in the two months of the IPL, which will be played in different cities.”
“This is India’s team. This is captain Rohit Sharma’s team. Rohit Sharma will definitely want in-form players and Dube has impressed a lot – not only now, but even in the entire IPL. He impressed a captain like MS Dhoni, who gave him the confidence, and Rohit Sharma has given him the same confidence,” the former India all-rounder added.
Raina added that Dube knows if he middles the ball, it will carry the distance as he is a strong lad.
“It’s because of the bat swing. He plays the full drive. He knows that if he middles it, he will hit the ball out of the ground. He has practiced like that. When you have positive intent in your mind, both Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shivam Dube believe in the full drive more than the check drive.”
The third and last T20I of the series between India and Afghanistan will be played at the M.Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru on Wednesday.
