Shivam Dube: Complete press conference
[Reporter:]
Shivam, well played today. Shivam, if you could tell us what role has the team assigned to Surya and Tilak in the third and fourth place? Because we are seeing in the entire World Cup that there are a lot of run a ball type partnerships coming from both sides. We are missing a little intent from the outside view. So would you like to tell us specifically that the game should be played in deep and the wicket should not fall at that time?
[Shivam Dube:]
Sir, this is the World Cup. The game is a little difficult, not easy. If we don’t get the start we want, then the game of Tilak and Surya is different. They bat according to the situation. If the situation demands, they have to bat accordingly. If Tilak has to bat in a particular situation, then he does and I don’t have to say anything about Surya because he is a player who can take the team to the best position.
[Reporter:]
From last World Cup to this World Cup, you’ve become a lot more accomplished player and in batting also you showed a different thing against New Zealand attacking fast bowlers and in Asia Cup also you opened the bowling. So in the last 20 months can you just talk about your transformation and the kind of work that you put in to be this completely transformed player and a much better player.
[Shivam Dube:]
It’s been a long time I’ve played my first World Cup and I got to know what I need to do in future so I can be a better, not a batsman, all-rounder. So yes, I prepared myself in all those departments which is batting, bowling, and fielding. So I worked really hard on my fitness. Now I am bowling well, now I am batting well. My bowling has become better because of my fitness. So that is what I have worked and all credit goes to Gautam and Surya because they have believed in me that yes you can bowl for us. Batting also sir – I am batting.
[Reporter:]
When you came to crease a partnership had just got over of 30 runs in 28 balls. You played 11 balls before your first boundary. What is your mindset in those 11 balls? Because it was already a slow-ish type of partnership and it took you 11 balls – What were you thinking at that time? Did you panic? How did you cool yourself?
[Shivam Dube:]
Yes, obviously when you play dot ball in T20, you get pressure. But as a player, as a batsman, I know at that time that maybe right now if I am at 2 runs in 10 balls, but in the next 5 balls, if I hit 2 sixes, it will be covered. So that thing always stays in my mind Yes, the wicket was gone so it is important that we have to build partnership so for that even if 2-4 balls are hit it is fine but later it gets covered
[Reporter:]
In the last press conference you said that teams know your matchups, your strengths and weaknesses and they plan accordingly, but you also have plans to counter them. How much has that game awareness for you has helped in the last two, three years, the work in just that in terms of understanding the situation and playing accordingly?
[Shivam Dube:]
I have got the opportunity to play in that situation. So when you play, you learn always. So I have played and I have become little smart in that situation. So I know that yes, this bowler can come to me on this ball. These are the strengths. I think the fast bowler can bowl me short, slower, but I’ve worked really hard towards all those things and yes, now I’m getting better. And game awareness is very important because if you know that the bowler can bowl you this ball, so you’ll be ready for it. So that is more important and it has got much better from my side.
[Reporter:]
In the Namibia game it was Erasmus, in the Pakistan game the off-spin from Salman, Usman Qadir, Saim, you played next. In this game Aryan Dutt, What’s the talk in the team about tackling the off-spin challenge?
[Shivam Dube:]
It’s nothing. There is no talk because there is sometimes there some batsmen cannot hit some balls and yeah it’s just about one shot, they start hitting those one shot and yes there will be no talk about off spin in coming matches.
[Reporter:]
When you moved to Chennai Super Kings, you had this reputation of being that spin hitter in the middle overs. Just to the previous question, you touched upon how you’ve got that awareness of attacking fast bowling, short pitch bowling. Can you just expand a little on how the things that you’ve done to elevate your game, especially against short pitch bowling and bowling balls into the body?
[Shivam Dube:]
Yes, when I came to CSK, there was something I was struggling. And yes, in that season, I got some runs. But it was important for me to come back strong in next season because I knew I got to knew that I can dominate in IPL and international cricket as well so in that offseason I worked really hard towards short ball. So I knew that it’s not easy. It’s not going to be easy. But yeah, there is something. You give extra time. You play some extra balls in your time. And that is what I’ve got.
[Reporter:]
Just to expand on the last couple of questions, like Shashank just said, we know you can hit sixes. But in today’s match, if you look at it, borrowing Ishan Kishan, he faced eight balls. All the batters who faced 10 balls or more, their strike rate was becoming somewhat problematic. You’ve spoken about hard work, the self-belief, fitness. But can you just talk a little bit more about the ability to hit sixes? Because you walked in and you were doing that. You got a 50 at a strike rate of 200. So when the rest of the people are struggling, or you can see it, what clicks inside you that I’m going to go out there and just do my best, irrespective? Because it’s that fearless brand of cricket which this team has become known for. But in each match, whenever the team has gotten stuck, someone has put their hand up and it was you here. Just talk about that ability to walk in and just hit.
[Shivam Dube:]
So it’s about who has the day. And I think in our team, all the players are match winners. Anyone can hit big sixes on any day. So today was something I felt that today is my day and I need to be a little smart and I need to push myself and I need to stay till the end but yes, I need to back my strength as well so that’s what I did and yeah the strength is there that is why I am known for power hitter.
[Reporter:]
It hasn’t been a dominant batting display in any of the four matches so far, probably the conditions as well and losing only wickets. How exciting is it that despite that you are heading into the Super 8s with a string of big scores as a team?
[Shivam Dube:]
Sir, we know that what runs we are scoring on wickets, it’s one of the best score. Like today on this wicket we scored 190 plus and on this wicket it was not easy to hit not from us but any of the team who would be playing they wouldn’t they would be not scoring so much runs so what our team is scoring is I think the best score on that wicket.
[Reporter:]
To turn into a clean hitter have you ever discussed certain things with me or was it sheer practice and thus especially in situations where it is tough? Are you given a free hand to go on?
[Shivam Dube:]
Definitely sir. I worked really hard but there is something called support that is given by Surya and Gautam. So they have given me free hand. You go because they trust me a lot and So I need to back myself in that situation.
[Reporter:]
4 out of 4 in group A done. Looking ahead to the Super 8, how confident are you, how confident is the team? And another 4 wins and you will be in the final of the same venue.
[Shivam Dube:]
So team is in a good mode. I don’t want to say we are very confident because as a team we are thinking about the next match. We are not thinking that we are going to qualify and then we are going to play semi-final or final. As a team everyone is very confident and they are backing themselves and it’s just about be ready for 22nd, play well, give your 100% on that day.
[Reporter:]
How special is this 50 – because it’s your maiden T20 World Cup 50. And also the partnership with Hardik, if you could talk about it. There was a time when you were probably competing with Hardik, and now both of you are there. So how do you talk to him? What kind of support do you have in the dressing room? Because both of you are all-rounders.
[Shivam Dube:]
Sir, there is no competition. But it’s fun when both of us play together. Because I feel that both of us are lefty-righty and power hitters. So the team in front of us is always a little on back foot . If both of us were righty-righty, then there would have been a plan. But if left and right are batting, it becomes difficult for the other team. So we both enjoy it a lot. We talk a lot, yes, this is the plan, we go like that. But we enjoy a lot that is more important
I am feeling very good for this first 50 in the World Cup, so it feels really good.
[Reporter:]
[inaudible] and you proved it. So, how did you felt? And do you think that the fielding work is little bit you need?
[Shivam Dube:]
My fielding?
[Reporter:]
No, no, the players fielding.
[Shivam Dube:]
It happens ma’am. Today we dropped some catches but it’s just about the day. I think our team is one of the best fielding side. I feel that. And we have taken a lot of like many brilliant catches in the tournament and yes we’ll do better in the next match and yeah I enjoyed a lot when people asked to hit six or four so I enjoy but I’m very calm at that time. I just focus on the ball.
