All-rounder Shivam Dube, who was once seen as a backup to Hardik Pandya, seems to be making a place for himself in India’s T20 XI. In Visakhapatnam last night, he showed his newfound confidence, with a stunning knock of 65 runs off just 23 balls against New Zealand.
After the match, Dube credited this transformation to an improved "mindset" that has helped him become a "smarter" player. While his incredible 29-run over against leg-spinner Ish Sodhi is getting most of the attention, his performance against the fast bowlers was just as crucial. Once vulnerable against fast bowlers, Dube hit three sixes against pacers Jacob Duffy and Matt Henry, sending a clear message to his opponents.
For Dube, this significant improvement comes down to the consistent opportunities he is getting to play at the highest level. "It's just the hard work which I am doing. I'm getting better with my mindset because I am playing all those matches and batting in that situation. So, I know what's going to happen, what are the main things which a bowler is going to come to me," he said in the post-match press conference.
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Dube has also been given more chances to bowl in the current series. Although he didn't bowl in yesterday’s match—as India used their five main bowlers and even Pandya was not given an over—he feels the experience has been invaluable.
"That's the key point for my batting and bowling as well. I am bowling thanks to Gauti bhai (Gautam Gambhir) and Surya bhai (Suryakumar Yadav). They have given me the bowling opportunity. So, when you bowl, you become a little smart. So, I am working on that as well and trying to develop some more skills," he added.
Dube admitted that getting regular game time over the last few months has made him a much "smarter" cricketer.
"Yes, I worked really hard, but I have got the opportunity to bowl, bat, and do everything in the match," he said. "So, there is something called experience, and that has come to me, and that is going in the right direction. There are many things people upgrade. All the players, the spinners, fast bowlers, the teams upgrade themselves. So, I can't be the same as I was. I try to be a little better, a little smarter in the next game. So, I learned how to be a little smarter and what my strengths are and where I can target those."
Dube believes his increased comfort against fast bowlers allows him to put more pressure on the opposing team. "It's really important, it's about the matchup. So, they want me to hit spinners. That is my role: to get the strike-rate high in the middle overs. That is what I always try. It's just not about the spinners, but fast bowlers as well," he said.
The left-handed batsman reached his half-century in just 15 balls, the third-fastest in T20 Internationals. The only players to have done it faster are Yuvraj Singh (12 balls), and Abhishek Sharma and Colin Munro (14 balls).