Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra has urged the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel to pick in-form Shivam Dube in the T20 World Cup squad. Dube has scored 176 runs in five matches of the ongoing IPL 2024 at an average of 44 and a strike rate of 160.
Dube is known to smash the spinners in the middle overs and once again his pyrotechnics was on display against Kolkata Knight Riders at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. It was a slow pitch and six-hitting was difficult but Dube smashed three of them, the most by any batter on the night.
The powerful left-hander scored 28 runs off just 18 balls as he once again smashed the ball like a hulk. The southpaw has scored 1254 runs in 55 IPL matches at an average of 29.86 and a strike rate of 143.81, including seven fifties.
“I am convinced that it will be impossible for you not to take him for the World Cup. How will you not take him? Just consider the way he is batting. A lot of people say that there is role definition and he has been given freedom. Whoever wants can have freedom and show if they can hit sixes so consistently,” said Chopra on his YouTube Channel.
“Everyone who played in this match, including Andre Russell, felt it was very difficult to hit sixes on this pitch, and that it was a very big ground. It was nothing like that for Shivam Dube. He picked the right balls and hit them into the stands. He even hits fast bowlers into the stands. He is forcing the selectors to take him for the World Cup,” the former India opener added.
The renowned commentator also hailed Ruturaj Gaikwad, who scored a crucial knock of 67 runs off 58 balls after not getting consistent scores in the first four matches. Chopra added it is crucial to get runs as a skipper and lead from the front.
“Ruturaj Gaikwad, the way he batted and stayed till the end. He scored 46 against Gujarat. So it’s not that he wasn’t in form but had been dismissed thrice against left-arm fast bowlers. You need to score runs as a captain. He was the point of discussion yesterday as well that he would be in focus,” he said.
“He scored runs once again and said later that people might comment on his strike rate. I said no one will do that because you just have to see the match’s requirement, and the requirement of the match was for him to stay till the end as they would win in any case. So he stood till the end,” the reputed commentator added.
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