Argus News - Shivam Dube Clear on his Role Ahead of T20 World Cup

Bhubaneswar, Jan 29: Team India all-rounder Shivam Dube is “clear” about his role in the side at the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which will be played in India and Sri Lanka, starting February 7.

The big-hitter was at his destructive best in the fourth T20I against New Zealand at Vizag Wednesday displaying his prowess with a blitzkrieg of a knock — 23-ball 65 that include three boundaries and seven towering sixes.

Although India lost the match, but his knock became the talking point considering the side was struggling at 63/4 in the ninth over while chasing a massive target of 216 and soon the score became 82/5 in the 11th over with the last recognised batter Rinku Singh back in the hut.

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Dube powered his way to a 15-ball half-century — the third fastest by an India men's player in T20Is. After the match, the 32-year-old revealed that he knows what the team expects from him at the T20 showpiece.

“I am getting better with my mindset because I am playing all these matches now,” said Dube. “I am batting in those situations, so all those things I know that now what’s going to happen, what are the main things which bowler is going come to me, that’s the key point for my batting and bowling as well,” he added.

The left-handed batter also revealed that he is “trying to develop more skills”. “There is one thing when you work really hard behind in the nets, but there is something which you have to apply in the match. There is something called experience, so that has come to me and that is going in the right direction,” he said further.

Dube’s power-hitting was the highlight for India in their 50-run defeat to the Black Caps, with skipper Suryarkumar Yadav admitting that selection for the contest was made with one eye on the T20 World Cup.