Shivam Dube reveals when Rohit Sharma gave him a hint about T20 World Cup 2024 selection

Shivam Dube was picked as batting all-rounder in India’s T20 WC 2024 squad along with Hardik Pandya.

Shivam Dube was over the moon to see his name in India’s 15-member squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024. And he has now revealed that captain Rohit Sharma had already given him a hint about his selection before the announcement was made.

Dube was called up to the T20I squad last August after more than three years away, following a strong performance in the IPL 2023. Dube had reinvented himself as a spin-hitter and played an important role in the Chennai Super Kings’ victory that year. He struck at 176.47 against spinners, hitting 22 sixes, the most by any hitter in IPL 2023. He hit 418 runs in total this season.

He subsequently emulated his IPL success at the international level with three T20Is against Afghanistan. Dube scored consecutive unbroken half-centuries (60* and 63*) and was voted Player of the Series for his 124 runs. He also bowled seven overs in three games.

Dube has maintained his hitting form so far in the IPL 2024. He is presently third (26) on the six-hitters list, trailing Heinrich Klaasen (28) and Abhishek Sharma (27). He attributes this batting change to his switch from the Rajasthan Royals to CSK ahead of the 2023 season.

“When I came into the CSK setup, Mahi [MS Dhoni] bhai and [Stephen] Fleming told me that you have to hit. But they’ve never said it has to be from the first ball. Even they know doing that can be risky. It was at the back of my mind that if they have faith in me, why should I take undue risks in my first 10 balls?

That plan was, yes, I’m hitting [big] now, but how can I do it right through? Mentally, I prepared myself to see what my approach should be if a bowler bowls a particular ball. It took some time for me to apply this, but I’m set now. I watch the ball really well, and as it hits the bat, I get the feel that it’s gone, it’s done, it’ll go for six and go long. Special thanks to CSK. They brought me up their way and it has worked for me,” Shivam Dube told ESPNCricinfo.

“’Just show us what you can do”- Shivam Dube reveals Rohit Sharma’s words ahead of Afghanistan T20Is

Shivam Dube had a “lot of butterflies” and “sleepless nights” leading up to India’s T20 World Cup 2024 roster selection, but he knew he was in the team management’s plans.

Dube said that captain Rohit Sharma had hinted that he and the team management wanted to see what he could do with the bat and how much he could contribute with the ball as well in those three T20Is against Afghanistan.

“When I got picked for the Afghanistan series, Rohit [Sharma, captain] bhai told me I will [get a chance to] bowl and bat too. He said, ‘Just show us what you can do.’ If the captain comes up and tells you we want to see you do this, you just express yourself. I felt ‘I’m now playing’, so my only thought was how can I perform and make the team win,” Dube added.

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