File photo of Shivam Dube (IANS)
By Meenakshi Rao
Ahmedabad: In Wednesday night’s encounter against Netherlands, there was no dramatic surge at the start, no instant momentum shift, and for a stretch it even looked like India’s innings might stall. But by the finish, India had another strong total on the board and another example of how they are pacing their T20 World Cup campaign.
At the centre of it was all-rounder Shivam Dube, whose maiden World Cup fifty came after a slow start and then flipped the game in a handful of overs.
Dube was clear afterwards that the innings followed a plan, not a scramble. “This is the World Cup. The game is a little difficult, not easy,” he said. “If we don’t get the start we want, then the game of Tilak and Surya is different. They bat according to the situation,” he added.
That idea — batting to the situation rather than forcing intent — has defined India’s group stage. The surfaces have not been easy, wickets have fallen early at times, and teams have used matchups and defensive lines. India have responded by absorbing pressure and trusting that acceleration will come later.
Dube’s own knock captured that approach. He began with 11 balls without a boundary at a time when India needed momentum. He admitted the pressure was real. “When you play dot balls in T20, you get pressure,” he said. “But I know if I am two in ten balls, in the next five balls if I hit two sixes, it gets covered.”
He stressed the importance of holding shape first. “The wicket was gone, so it was important that we build a partnership. Even if two-four balls are dots, it is fine. Later it gets covered.”
When the release came, it came quickly. Dube’s strike rate shot up, the field spread, and India finished with what he felt was a match-winning total on a tough pitch. “On this wicket, 190-plus is one of the best scores. It was not easy to hit — not for us, not for any team.”
The innings was also a reflection of his own growth over the last two years. Dube said his focus has been to become a complete all-rounder rather than just a hitter. “I prepared in batting, bowling and fielding. I worked really hard on my fitness.
Now I am bowling well, now I am batting well. My bowling has become better because of my fitness.”
He credited the support of captain Surya Kumar Yadav and coach Gautam Gambhir for backing him with both bat and ball.
“They have believed in me that yes, you can bowl for us. They have given me a free hand — you go. They trust me a lot.”
That trust has allowed him to play with clarity in the middle overs, an area where India have been questioned externally.
Dube said the team is not worried about the perception. “There is no talk. Sometimes some batsmen cannot hit some balls. It is about one shot — once it comes, they start hitting.”
He also spoke about improving against the short ball, once seen as a weakness. “I worked really hard towards the short ball. You give extra time, play extra balls, and that is what I did.”
At the back end of the innings, his partnership with Hardik Pandya again proved effective, especially with the left-right combination. “There is no competition. It’s fun when both of us play together. Lefty-righty, both power hitters — the team in front is always a little on the back foot.”
Dube was quick to spread the credit across the dressing room. “In our team, all the players are match winners. Anyone can hit big sixes on any day. Today I felt it was my day, so I needed to be smart, push myself and stay till the end but also back my strength.”
Even India’s occasional lapses in the field did not worry him. “It happens. I think our team is one of the best fielding sides. We have taken many brilliant catches and we will do better next match.”
With four wins from four and the Super 8 ahead, the mood, Dube said, is steady rather than celebratory. “We are thinking about the next match. We are not thinking about semi-final or final. Just be ready and give your 100 percent.”
For now, India are sticking to their method: hold shape, read conditions, and trust that someone — like Dube on this night — will deliver the surge when it matters.
(Disclaimer: The facts and opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer and do not reflect the views of ETV Bharat.)
Also Read: