India might have just discovered their potential X-factor heading into the 2024 ICC Men's Twenty20 World Cup, which will be played in the USA and the Caribbean in June.
On Sunday (January 14), India took on Afghanistan in the second T20I of the three-match T20I series at the Holkar Stadium in Indore.
Having taken a 1-0 lead after winning the first T20I by six wickets, India won the toss yet again in the second game and opted to field first in what is a bowler's graveyard in Indore.
Afghanistan managed to post 172 runs on the board - their highest T20I total against India in seven meetings. In reply, India chased down the total in just 15.4 overs and with six overs remaining.
Shivam Dube, who has been receiving call ups to the Indian team but doesn't get chances, is having a magical series so far, scoring two unbeaten half-centuries during run-chases (60* off 40, 63* off 32) while also being an effective sixth bowling option.
But what exactly has made Dube such a game-changer for India in the middle-order? The Sporting News takes a look.
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Chennai Super Kings (CSK) key to Shivam Dube's development
Dube always had talent. He just needed someone to help him funnel that talent in the right manner, and that's exactly what happened in 2022, when he was snapped up by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL 2022 auctions.
In IPL 2022, Dube was promoted up to order and he justified the decision by scoring 289 runs in 11 innings, which came at a strike rate of 156.22.
2023 was truly the coming of Dube. It was the first time the Mumbai-born left-handed power hitter crossed the 400-run mark milestone in a single IPL season. It was a result of Dhoni and the CSK support staff showing immense faith in Dube and his unique talent.
When Dube made headlines initially, he was seen as a finisher who would thrive at No.6 or No.7 batting positions. But promoting him up the order to play him as a proper middle-order batsman and give him maximum deliveries against spin, his strength, was clearly a masterstroke from MSD.
In IPL 2023, Dube scover 418 runs at an average of 38.00 and a strike rate of 158.33, which included three half-centuries, too.
He scored 258 runs in boundaries, off which 210 came in sixes (35 sixes).
If you compare his stats at CSK with his stats in IPL before CSK, they tell two completely different stories.
Shivam Dube in IPL before and after joining CSK:
| Phase | Innings | Runs | Average | S.R. | 50s | 100s | 6s | HS |
| Before CSK (2019-2021) | 22 | 399 | 22.17 | 120.54 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 64* |
| For CSK (2022-present) | 25 | 707 | 33.67 | 157.46 | 5 | 0 | 51 | 95* |
| Total | 47 | 1106 | 28.36 | 141.79 | 6 | 0 | 73 | 95* |
Dube credited MSD and CSK for his current performances following the second T20I against Afghanistan.
This credit goes to the CSK team and Mahi bhai. I always had the game, but what CSK do is take out that game from a player. So, they have given me that confidence. They told me that I could score runs in IPL and that they believed in me. The likes of [Michael] Hussey and [Stephen] Fleming said they had faith in me and that I could do what they wanted.
When I was with CSK, he (MS Dhoni) told me that I had the capability to bat well. But he told me to be smart. So, I focussed on my limitations and what I could do well.
Shivam Dube's stats for India: How has he performed since joining CSK?
Dube made his debut for India in November 2019 and was a consistent inclusion in the XI till February 2020. During those three months, the now 30-year-old had played 13 T20Is.
However, unconvincing performances on the international stage saw him being dropped. His work during the IPL also didn't help his case as Dube was struggling in the cash-rich league, too.
However, joining CSK changed Dube's fortunes and made a 180 degree turn as his performances in IPL 2023 saw him being called up to the Indian squad that would travel to Ireland for two T20Is in August 2023.
Since then, he has played in seven T20Is (one game had no result) and has evidently performed much better this time around.
Shivam Dube's batting stats for India
| Phase | Innings | Runs | Average | S.R. | 50s | 100s | 6s | HS |
| Before 2023 | 9 | 105 | 17.50 | 136.36 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 54 |
| 2023-present | 4 | 170 | -- | 158.88 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 63* |
| Total | 13 | 275 | 45.83 | 149.45 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 63* |
However, it's not just his batting that has improved. In the ongoing T20I series, Dube has showcased the ability to hit the right lengths in the middle overs and has also proved his mettle as a wicket-taking sixth bowling option.
While he is not someone whom you can rely on to give you four full economical overs, he is someone who can absolutely roll his arm over and provide an extra bowling option. Know that Dube as a bowler is still a work in progress, and it's likely we might never see him become half as a good as bowler as a batsman.
His expansive skill-set can add a lot to the Indian team's artillery and Dube could even function as a like-for-like replacement for the injured Hardik Pandya, who is expected to return to action during IPL 2024.
Shivam Dube's bowling stats for India
| Phase | Innings | Wickets | Average | S.R. | Econ. | 5-fer | Best |
| Before 2023 | 11 | 5 | 43.20 | 25.8 | 10.05 | 0 | 3-30 |
| 2023-present | 7 | 3 | 39.67 | 26.0 | 9.15 | 0 | 1-4 |
| Total | 18 | 8 | 41.88 | 25.8 | 9.71 | 0 | 3-30 |
What next for Shivam Dube?
The towering southpaw will once again be eager to put in a dominant batting display at No.4 in the third T20I against Afghanistan, which will be played at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore on Wednesday (January 17).