Team India batting all-rounder Shivam Dube opened up on the challenges of batting in the middle order in T20Is ahead of the three-match series against Afghanistan. The Indian team management has used him situationally in the T20 format over the years as well. Dube has been the key in India’s T20I dominance, playing a vital role in their back-to-back World Cup triumphs in 2024 and 2026 as well. He has batted across all positions from No.3 to 8, while maintaining a T20I average of 29.65 and a strike rate of 152.09 in 73 matches as well.
Talking about this, Dube said in an interview with the Hindustan Times: “It’s always difficult because my position is not fixed. My position is dependent on what the team requires. If the team requires me to bat after the 6-over mark, I am ready for that. If they require me after the 12-over mark, I am ready for that. It’s always a difficult job, but I feel good knowing that when the team needs me, I stand there and do all the things required of me.”
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Shivam Dube also added that there is no fixed plan for when he bowls for Team India in T20Is and that his role is to be ready to bowl at any stage of the innings. Dube has picked up 27 wickets in T20Is since the start of 2025 in 40 matches at an incredible average of 20.55 as well.
“As an all-rounder, they want me to bowl those difficult overs. They want to concede fewer runs or take a wicket when it’s really needed. There is no concrete plan regarding which over I will bowl, so I don’t know when I will be called upon to bowl. I am working really hard towards that,” said Dube.
“Morne (Morkel) has helped me a lot because he told me that bowling those good balls is important, but as a bowler, reading the game is more important. So I am working on that now as well, because I should be smarter than the batters. I should know where he would be looking to hit me. So we are both working in the same direction and trying to get better every day,” Shivam Dube concluded.
