Shivam Dube's Form and Challenges in T20 World Cup 2024: Insights and analysis

Explore Shivam Dube's performance and challenges in the T20 World Cup 2024, including his struggles, expectations, and analysis by cricket experts like Sanjay Manjrekar.

Ovaise Shariff

First Published Jun 16, 2024, 6:50 PM IST

Shivam Dube, making his maiden appearance in an ICC tournament for India, has had a disappointing start to the T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA. Out of the initial three Group A matches against Ireland, Pakistan, and America, Dube only managed to score runs freely against the co-hosts, highlighting his struggle to find form in the tournament.

Despite being a potential all-rounder, Dube did not bowl at all during the World Cup, and his contributions with the bat have been minimal. For India to clinch their first T20 World Cup title since 2007, the left-handed batsman must rediscover the peak form he displayed in the Indian Premier League (IPL) over the last two seasons, notably for the Chennai Super Kings.

It was with CSK that Dube garnered attention for his ability to dominate spinners. As India prepares for the Super 8 matches in the spin-friendly conditions of the West Indies, all eyes are on Dube to replicate his IPL prowess against spin bowling.

Sanjay Manjrekar, in a recent conversation with PTI, shared his thoughts on Shivam Dube's current predicament. When asked about Dube's potential success against spinners in the World Cup, Manjrekar expressed skepticism, noting that most of Dube's IPL runs against spinners came on flat pitches. He emphasized that the conditions in the West Indies will present a different challenge, where Dube might not find it as easy to score.

"We will have to wait and see. You are right because the hitting that you saw (during IPL) from Shivam Dube was on some of the flattest pitches in the world and also a long league, a lot doesn't hinge on one game. So the pressures of World Cup are different," Manjrekar told PTI.

Manjrekar also expressed curiosity about whether Dube can elevate his power-hitting skills against spinners on the tracks in the West Indies.

"So we need to wait and see if Shivam Dube can replicate what he did in the IPL against the spinners because you are right which aren't going to be as easy to hit the spinners as it was on Indian pitches and so we need to see if Dube can upgrade his power-hitting skills against spinners on these tracks," Sanjay Manjrekar concluded.

Despite his recent struggles, Shivam Dube showcased a terrific touch with the bat in the first half of IPL 2024, where he displayed an aggressive style of play that earned him a spot in the BCCI's 15-man T20 World Cup squad over Rinku Singh. However, since his selection, Dube has been unable to replicate his IPL form, struggling to find consistency in the World Cup.

This tournament presents a crucial opportunity for Dube to regain his form and contribute significantly to India's campaign for the T20 World Cup title.

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Last Updated Jun 16, 2024, 6:50 PM IST