Shivam Dube: From being unfit and unable to lift bat for four years to sealing spot in India's T20 World Cup squad; witness rise of CSK all-rounder

When BCCI announced Team India's squad for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, the most surprising decision was to add the left-handed middle-order batsman and right-arm medium-pace bowler Shivam Dube. Because of him Rinku Singh was excluded and kept in traveling reserve. In this way, all the veterans expressed their displeasure with the inclusion of Shivam Dube and the exclusion of Rinku Singh. But the reason behind Dube's inclusion was that India needed a batsman who could play fast in the middle overs in the middle order in T20. In which Shivam Dube made the place by defeating the rest. Now Dube is eager to debut in the T20 World Cup, so let us know how his house servant recognized the cricketing potential in him and how his father sacrificed his entire business and worked hard to make his son's dream come true

The servant discovered Shivam's talent

Shivam Dube was born on 26 June 1993 in Mumbai. His father Rajesh Dube had a jeans business. Meanwhile, mother Madhuri Dube took care of the house. Shivam did his education from Hansraj Morarji Public School, while he graduated from Rizvi College. Shivam loved playing cricket since childhood and at the age of just four, his house servant had noticed Shivam's cricket skills. After this, when Shivam's father saw his son's passion for cricket, he gave everything for him

Weight increased by 100 kg and father's business collapsed

Shivam's father also prepared a pitch for him at home and used to bowl him around 500 balls in the nets every day. He also used to make him run and took special care of his diet. Shivam's father worked with him for about 10 years. After this, at the age of 14, he took Shivam to Chandrakant Pandit's Cricket Academy to teach him cricket at a professional level. But in the year 2008, Shivam faced bad times and his father's jeans business was sold and there was a financial crisis in the house. Due to this, Shivam stayed away from cricket for four years and his weight increased to around 100 kg.

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Comeback at the age of 17

However, after staying away from cricket for four years, Shivam did not give up and made a comeback at the age of 17. This time Shivam worked the most on fitness and lost his weight. After failing in several tournaments in the initial days, Shivam performed brilliantly in the Mitsui T20 League, MPL Karnataka T20 League, Ghatkopar Jets, and Maratha Club in Thane. Due to this, the Mumbai selectors noticed him and at the age of 19, Shivam was selected for the Mumbai Under-23 team.

Made his domestic cricket debut in 2015-16

Shivam made his domestic debut for Mumbai in the 2015-16 Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy and after that never looked back. After Syed Mushtaq Ali T20, he made his Vijay Hazare debut in 2016-17 and then for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy in 2017-18. In domestic cricket, Shivam has 1419 runs in his name in 21 first-class matches and 975 runs in 54 List-A matches. Whereas he has also picked 52 wickets in first-class matches and 40 scalps in front of his name in List A cricket.

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Debuted with India colours in 2019

Shivam Dube, who is going to play his first T20 World Cup after a stellar performance in domestic cricket, was seen in the Indian jersey for the first time in 2019 when he was given a chance in the T20 series against Bangladesh. Dube, who scored just one run in his first T20I innings, has played 21 matches so far and has scored 276 runs at a strike rate of 145.26. During this period, Dube has also scored three half-centuries and his highest score is 63 runs not out. Even in bowling, Dube has taken 8 wickets in these 21 matches at an economy of 9.86.

Dube hails high in IPL

Shivam Dube's IPL career started in 2019 when he was signed by Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs 5 crore. Dube, who did not perform well in the first two seasons, has scored 1502 runs in the 61 innings played in the IPL so far with an excellent strike rate of 146.68. In this, Dube has crossed the 50-run mark in an innings nine times. Dube has also hit 101 sixes in his IPL career. Overall, Dube has played 136 matches in T20 cricket and scored 2670 runs. Dube's strike rate in T20 cricket has been 142.7. Dube has hit 163 sixes and 164 fours in these matches. Now Dube will give his all with both ball and bat to make India win the T20 World Cup.

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