AB de Villiers, a legendary South African cricketer, said Shivam Dube never felt at ease while playing for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
De Villiers believes that after joining the Chennai Super Kings, the lanky all-rounder realized his true potential. The former South African captain has a valid point here. The numbers support him.
Dube made his IPL debut in 2019 with RCB. He spent two seasons with the Virat Kohli-led team, scoring only 169 runs at a strike rate of 122 in 15 games.
Dube was released by RCB and joined the Rajasthan Royals before the IPL 2021 season. The power-hitting left-hander, however, did not experience success.
He had a better season overall, scoring 230 runs in 9 matches, but his strike rate of 119 was a concern.
His bowling was never threatening enough for captains to give him four overs. The result was obvious. Dube was released again.
The left-hander’s issues with short-pitched deliveries were now in the open. He also lost his place on the Indian team.
When things were looking bleak for the talented Mumbai cricketer, MS Dhoni’s CSK snatched him up in the mega auction in 2022. Dube’s situation changed dramatically. He scored 289 runs with a strike rate of 156.
De Villiers, who shared a dressing room with Dube at RCB, believes the all-rounder could never break free there and has finally found his place under MS Dhoni and Stephen Fleming.
“It’s great to see Shivam like this. He never truly broke free in the RCB locker room. He was a shy guy who worked extremely hard and asked a lot of questions back in the day.
I believe he learned something while there, but he never felt comfortable. He talks about being free in CSK, and that is the magic recipe that MSD, Gaikwad, Stephen Fleming, and all the guys from the past have set up over there.
It’s a franchise that simply works every season, with new players who feel free to express themselves,” de Villiers said on Jio Cinema.
Dube had his best season last year, hitting up to 35 sixes. He was harsh against spinners, but the problem with short balls persisted.
He worked extremely hard in the offseason and returned as an even better player. He also regained his place in the Indian T20I team.
Dube’s dedication to improving his batting against short balls was on full display during CSK’s match against the Gujarat Titans on Tuesday. He smashed 52 from 23 balls, including five towering sixes.
It was encouraging to see how he handled GT’s Australian pacer Spencer Johnson when he pitched short.
How did Shivam Dube improve against short balls? Mike Hussey reveals
“I have to give Dube a lot of credit for working tirelessly against the short ball, which was an area he needed to improve in.
Hats off to him; he’s playing with confidence now. He’s also dangerous against the spin.
“When teams threw short balls at him a few years ago, he would simply duck and defend. He can now not only play short ones but also find boundaries.
“So, that’s a testament to the work he’s done and given back to the bowlers, forcing them to try something different.
It will benefit him in the IPL, and if he gets the opportunity to play for his country, it will be extremely beneficial,” said Hussey.
Dhoni personally working with the beefy Mumbai man has had a significant impact on Dube’s improvement, according to his skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad after the match.
