Indian batter Shivam Dube admitted he wasn’t thinking about getting a 15-ball fifty when he walked out to bat in the fourth T20I against New Zealand. Dube joined forces with Rinku Singh when India were tottering at 63-4 in the run-chase of 216 at Visakhapatnam on Wednesday.

However, Dube was able to hit the ground running as he batted at his absolute best. The pugnacious southpaw scored a blistering knock of 65 runs off just 23 balls with the help of three fours and seven sixes. But barring Dube, none of the other Indian batters could get going, and he played an instrumental role in getting India to 165.

Shivam Dube said in the post-match presentation, “I was focusing on every ball and trying to play it on merit. I was not thinking about getting 50 in 15 balls or whatever.”

Dube said he is improving his mindset as he is getting to play all the matches.

“I am getting better with my mindset because I am playing all those matches now. I know how bowlers are going to come at me. In bowling, thanks to Gauti bhai and Surya, they have given me the opportunity. When you bowl, you become little smart. I am trying to develop some more skills.

“Teams upgrade themselves. For me also, it is very important. I can’t be the same that I was. I try to be little better and smarter in the next game,” he went on to add.

Meanwhile, Dube smashed Ish Sodhi for 29 runs in the 12th over, including three fours and two sixes. The left-hander said there was no game plan as such against the leg-spinner.

He concluded, “There was no game plan at that time. There was some instinct from my side. I thought it was difficult to hit spinners. He was bowling well. But, I knew that even he is little scared. He is going bowl me a bad ball. I was ready for that. I wanted to dominate at that time and that is what I did.”

The fifth and final T20I between India and New Zealand will be played at Thiruvanthapuram on Saturday.