By India Today Sports Desk: Mumbai all-rounder Shivam Dube seems to be following MS Dhoni’s piece of advice to the T. The experienced campaigner has been in fine form in the ongoing Deodhar Trophy 50-over domestic tournament for West Zone. On Sunday, Dube was in full flow as he hit a sensational 73-ball 88 to help West Zone successfully chase 260 against the North Zone at Cricket Association Puducherry Siechem Ground, Puducherry.
Shivam Dube battled it out on a tough pitch as West Zone were reeling at 122 for 4 on a difficult pitch but Shivam Dube along with Kathan Patel added 138 runs for the 5th wicket to help seal the victory. It was a crucial victory for West Zone, who are in direct battle with East Zone for a spot in the final.
Speaking to the BCCI after the match-winning knock, Shivam Dube recalled an important piece of information that MS Dhoni had given him during the IPL 2023 season.
“I cannot express all the things… I have upgraded my game. I got to know how to finish the game, how to be in the situation, how to tackle the bowlers, that all things are more important and many things are there but cannot express all the things. But, I definitely got some big tips.
“He told me to play till the end and try to finish the game.
“‘You can win many matches from your batting, so keep believing in yourself’,” Dube added, highlighting the unforgettable piece of advice.
HUNGRY FOR MORE SUCCESS
Dube was in sensational form in IPL 2023 for Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings. He emerged as the third-highest scorer for CSK, scoring 418 runs in 16 matches at an impressive average of 38.00 and a strike rate of over 158. His best score was a blistering 52 runs off just 27 balls against Royal Challengers Bangalore, showcasing his ability to score quickly and under pressure.
However, it is against spinners that Dube truly shone. He hit 30 sixes during the season, with 19 of them coming against spin bowling. This made him the player with the most sixes against spin in IPL 2023. His ability to counter-attack spinners in the middle overs has been instrumental in shifting the momentum in CSK’s favor in many games. His versatility and adaptability to bat at any position in the batting order further added to his value.
Having been picked for the Asian Games men’s cricket squad, Dube revealed his immediate goals.
“For me, the goal is to finish the game with bat and ball. What kind of job I get for my team, what situation I get. I probably plan in that way. So that is more important and working physically and mentally both in that way,” Dube said.
