If you talk about Shivam Dube in the domestic circuit you are bound to speak about the 5 sixes he hit in an over during a Ranji Trophy match just ahead of the IPL Auctions in December last year. Young Shivam Dube was in his house with a group of friends, family and some of his near and dear ones watching the IPL Auction unfold in Bangalore.
When the name of Shivam Dube came up in the auctions some of his friends expected some of the franchises to bid for him. Mumbai Indians also wanted the hard-hitting batsman. Eventually, it was Royal Challengers Bangalore who bagged him for a whopping Rs 5 crores. Dube had given himself a great chance of getting picked in the auctions after his exploits in a Ranji Trophy game against Baroda.
Dube, more than the money will look to make full use of his opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the modern greats of the game. Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers are the biggest superstars of the modern generation and playing under their guidance will surely bring a lot out of the swashbuckling batsman. He is a promising talent and will definitely look to make a mark in the cash-rich league.
Shivam Dube not thinking about the money
“I’m not thinking about the 5 crore,” said Dube in Bangalore on Wednesday (March 20). “I’m just here to play cricket. I didn’t expect it, but I was hoping to be selected at the auction because I had performed well in first-class cricket. So some expectation was there but I didn’t think it would be this much.
“It was very nice to get selected, especially by RCB. RCB is one of the best teams I feel. And playing under Virat bhai is something different. I am a bit nervous, but very excited about the tournament. Every player has a dream of playing for India and playing in the IPL. One of the dream is going to come true and it will be good.”
Dube has made a name for himself with the bat in the last few months. However, he came into the team as a medium pacer who can hit some lusty blows towards the end. Dube will definitely look to enhance his reputation with the bat. He has played 9 first-class matches and 18 List A matches for Mumbai and boasts of an impressive record.
In 9 first-class matches, he has scored 514 runs at an average of 50. He has scored only 248 runs in his List A career. It is just early days for Dube and his record will surely improve as he moves forward. His bowling record in both the formats is pretty6 impressive. In his first-class career, Dube has bagged 28 wickets in 9 first-class matches at an impressive average of 22. In List A cricket Dube has scalped out 23 wickets in 18 matches at an average of 26.
The Royal Challengers Bangalore bagged the services of Shivam Dube in a bid to improve and strengthen their middle order. RCB was found wanting in the middle order last year which eventually led to their downfall as the tournament progressed. Given the ability of Dube to hit big shots, he might well be the perfect foil for RCB in the lower middle order.
Shivam Dube recalls of the tips he received from Ashish Nehra and Gary Kirsten
“I have got tips from Ashish bhai and Gary sir like I am going to bat at number six or number seven. They are thinking about me as a finisher in the team. We can analyse that while practising and I will be prepared for that role.
“It’s going to be a good challenge for me. Playing in the middle order as a finisher is my job. I’ll give it 100%. It’s going to be challenging and more learning for me too. I’ll do what the team requires. The team’s requirement is more than my own.”
Dube will enter IPL without too much match practice prior to the tournament. He played just a couple of games in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. He sustained a lower back injury and had to train at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru during his rehabilitation process. He has given himself enough time to prepare himself for the biggest T20 league across the globe.