Shivam Dube Delighted After Fulfilling His Father's Dream

The ongoing year has been nothing less than a fairytale for Shivam Dube. 2019 has turned out to be the breakthrough year for the highly-rated allrounder from Mumbai. He started garnering limelight after Royal Challengers Bangalore splashed a whopping INR 5 crore to secure his services for this year’s IPL.

Shivam Dube had already proved his hard-hitting skills with his exploits in the domestic arena. The cricketing fraternity started noticing him when he slammed Pravin Tambe for five consecutive sixes in a Mumbai T20 League game last year. And just a day before the IPL auction, he repeated it again as he struck five sixes off five deliveries in a Ranji Trophy game for Mumbai against Baroda.

He did not have a memorable campaign in the IPL as he managed to play just four of the 14 games. But it did not stop the selectors from including him in the India A side and Shivam Dube totally justified the faith shown in him. The left-handed batsman impressed with two fifties in four innings for India A against West Indies A in the Caribbean, with an average of 60 with the bat.

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More recently, Shivam Dube helped Mumbai to a quarter-final finish in the 2019-20 Vijay Hazare Trophy. He scored 177 runs in five innings, remaining not out thrice. He averaged 88.50 at a strike rate of 146.28. The highlight of the tournament for him was the 118-run knock against Karnataka which included seven fours and ten sixes.

And on Thursday, Shivam Dube was finally rewarded for his fine displays as he earned his maiden call-up from the Indian team for the upcoming T20I series against Bangladesh. With Hardik Pandya out of the team due to injury, he is likely to get a chance in the playing eleven. A fine show will definitely put him in contention for next year’s T20 World Cup.

But for the time being, the Mumbai star is looking forward to spend time in the Indian dressing room. He is also delighted over fulfilling his dad’s dream of playing for India. Dube said that it was his father who wanted him to become an aggressive batsman and that thought turned his playing style

“I have a bit of natural power and I work on that. My father always wanted to make me an aggressive batsman and that became my lifestyle. I love power-hitting,” Dube said. “I would like to thank God and my dad. Specially my dad, who always supported me and it was his dream (that I play for India).”

“It is a good feeling. You (journalists) blessed and supported me throughout. I was expecting a call. I was sure shot of my selection. I felt that my performance was good, so I would be in (the team). I was positive about it,” he added.

The T20I series between India and Bangladesh will kickstart on November 3. After the T20Is, both the teams will play two Tests.