Shivam Dube may not be the fastest bowler around or the biggest hitter, but the all-rounder possesses a bit of Midas touch. Not many give him the credit, but had it not been for his 16-ball 27, the result of the T20 World Cup final between India and South Africa could have been different. Sure, Dube may not be as impactful and visible as Hardik Pandya or Ravindra Jadeja, but the guy can certainly step up and deliver in crunch situations. Ask CSK, or even better, ask the UAE, who felt his wrath with the ball last night in their Asia Cup 2025 match against India at the Dubai International Stadium. Together with Kuldeep Yadav, Dube’s 3/4 rattled the hosts for 57 – the lowest T20I total scored against India ever, and for that he was India’s man of the moment inside the dressing room, where the players regrouped to celebrate the team’s ideal start to the tournament.
However, amid all the cheers and celebrations, Dube was a little hesitant – even borderline awkward if one can put it that way. He was shy, reluctant to say anything, despite being pushed by his teammates. When Morne Morkel, the bowling coach, declared his name as the medal winner, Dube wasn’t keen on entertaining their teammates’ request for a speech. As someone went to bring the medal, Dube kept quiet, despite the occasional leg-pulling by captain Suryakumar Yadav, who said ‘Bhai yeh toh rule hai (This is the rule brother), of when Shubman Gill had fun, “Either give a speech or dance”.
Morkel took off his microphone and even tried to clip it on Dube, but the all-rounder refused. Before finally opening up. “I really enjoyed bowling today. I was keen to bowl in the match. And yes, I got the opportunity and worked really hard. Thanks Morne,” he said.
Shivam Dube’s next stop
His bowling opportunities may be limited in the IPL because of the ‘Impact Player’ rule, but Dube remains determined to establish himself as a genuine all-rounder for India, with the backing of head coach Gautam Gambhir and the guidance of Morkel. After claiming three wickets in just two overs on Wednesday, Dube credited Morkel for playing a key role in his growth as a seam bowler.
“Morne has been working with me since I came back into the Indian team for the England series. He has given me certain specific advice and I worked on them. He told me to bowl a line that is slightly outside the off-stump. He also worked with me in developing a slower delivery and tweaked my run-up a bit. The head coach and the skipper had told me that my bowling will have a role to play,” Dube said during the post-match press conference.
After the IPL, Dube, who isn’t part of India’s plans in the other two international formats, had two months to work extensively on both his all-round skills and fitness. In the IPL, his franchise Chennai Super Kings primarily rely on him as a power-hitter.
“For the last two months, I have worked a great deal on my fitness. As far as my batting is concerned, I know I have a role to play (as a power-hitter) in the middle overs. I know over the years, bowlers targetted me with short balls and I have worked on increasing my range of shots. As tournament progresses, wicket will get slower and I know my slower (ball) will be effective and I also know how to bat in middle overs,” Dube added.
