Former Sri Lankan captain and Rajasthan Royals head coach Kumar Sangakkara believes Shivam Dube’s strength. As a hitter is his ability to bat through the middle overs rather than towards the end.
Sangakkara credited Dube’s ability against spinners as a major reason. For the young southpaw’s efficiency throughout the middle overs to prominent Australian editor Charbel Coorey of Cricblog.
“Dube was a very good buy for us and I think he’s exciting. I think Shivam Dube’s great strength is his ability to bat through that middle order; not exactly at the death, but slightly earlier than that. He’s very good against spin,” said the RR coach.
In his first appearance in the UAE leg against the Chennai Super Kings. Dube backed up Sangakkara’s remarks to the hilt. In just 17.3 overs, the Mumbai lad hit an unbeaten 42-ball 64. To help his team reach their goal of 190.
Dube, who was once billed as India’s answer to a superb seam-bowling all-rounder. Did not exactly light up the stage during his few international and RCB appearances.
Shivam Dube’s failure at RCB can be linked to the fact that the southpaw was largely utilized as a finisher and very seldom during the middle-overs.
Dube’s strength, as Sangakkara pointed out, is against spinners, no pacers, who usually bowl in the final parts of an inning.
Liam Livingstone
With Rajasthan’s middle-overs struggled due to the poor form of players like Liam Livingstone, Mahipal Lomror, and especially Riyan Parag, there was a lot of talk over Dube’s frequent exclusion from the playing XI during the ongoing UAE leg.