Zaheer Khan Explains How India Can Accommodate Both Shivam Dube And Hardik Pandya In The T20 World Cup Squad

Former India pacer Zaheer Khan reckons both Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube can be included in India’s T20 World Cup campaign if the think tank plans accordingly. Shivam Dube has been in great touch in the recent games. He was selected as the Player of The Series in the recently concluded T20I series against Afghanistan where he scored 124 runs in three games and also took two wickets.

Hardik Pandya missed the recently concluded T20I series against Afghanistan and has been out of competitive cricket since October 2023 as he is yet to recover from the ankle injury sustained in the ODI World Cup clash against Bangladesh. Shivam Dube, who was the only pace-bowling all-rounder in the squad, had an impressive stint with the bat and gave a decent performance in bowling as well.

Aakash Chopra asked Zaheer whether both Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube could be a part of India’s T20 World Cup squad. “They definitely can be, if you are planning like that. It will depend a lot on whether you are looking for a sixth bowling option or want to play five bowlers, the direction in which you want to go,” Zaheer responded.

The former India pacer reckons both the pace-bowling all-rounders can be accommodated in the T20 World Cup squad only if the Men in Blue include one wicketkeeper instead of two. “If you say you need a sixth bowling option, you also need a backup. If you talk about the squad, you can see both Hardik and Shivam Dube together only if you take one wicketkeeper instead of two wicketkeepers,” Zaheer explained.

Zaheer Khan Compares Shivam Dube To Yuvraj Singh

Zaheer Khan added that the additional wicket-keeper could travel as a reserve but that will mean that even with a slight niggle, it will be the end of the tournament for the wicketkeeper. Wicketkeeping is one of the roles that can’t be compromised as not everyone has the skills to keep wickets and if a team have one keeper and he gets injured then the tournament will be difficult for them.

Zaheer Khan was further asked whether Shivam Dube has some resemblance to Yuvraj Singh. To which, he replied, “A few glimpses are seen for sure, especially when he bends down and plays the shot over midwicket. In the T20 format, when the field opens up in the middle phase after the powerplay, you need to have a player who can hit over the top and get a six anytime.”

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that the big-hitting ability of Shivam Dube makes him an asset for India in the middle overs. “Then you don’t need to think that much. If you have to score runs while playing grounded shots, it requires more effort. The balls are less in T20s in any case and if you have had a slow powerplay, you need to find the pace in the middle overs. You can come back in the game if you have the ability to play big shots,” Zaheer elaborated.

Shivam Dube gave a headache to the selectors by grabbing the opportunity given to him with both hands and making the most of it. He will definitely be in contention for India’s T20 World Cup squad and it will be interesting to see if Team India accommodates both Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube or picks just one of them. In either case, it is very unpredictable right now whether Dube will make it to the team.