Chennai Super Kings had finished ninth in the 10-team tournament last season but made a resounding comeback this year by defeating defending champions Gujarat Titans in a rain-affected summit clash in Ahmedabad. CSK's star all-rounder Deepak Chahar, who played a crucial role in his team's title win in 2023 season of Indian Premier League, recently picked his all-time Chennai Super Kings playing XI, captained by MS Dhoni which, featuring legends like Michael Hussey, Harbhajan Singh, Matthew Hayden among others.
Dube picked Hayden and Hussey to bat as openers, Suresh Raina at no. 3, Ambati Rayudu and MS Dhoni to bat in the middle-order, followed by Ravindra Jadeja and South Africa's Albie Morkel to play as all-rounders. West Indies' Dwayne Bravo, one of CSK's highest wicket-taker and run-scorer, has been picked in Dube's dream team as third of the four allrounders. Harbhajan Singh gets picked as the specialist spinner and Lakshmipathi Balaji has also been given a spot. Dube also named himself as the fourth all-rounder.
CSK pacer Deepak Chahar, who wasn't named in Dube's dream team, was quick to pull his teammates leg with a question in the comment section: “@dubeshivam next year as bowler khelega hum kaha jaege?
Chahar also challenged Dube to a one-on-one challenge to decide who takes the spot.
“@dubeshivm sabse pahle next year tere or mera match hoga 1 over ka I will bowl 1 over to you you bowl 1 over to me let’s see who wins and take the spot ?" Chahar added.
Dube responded: “@deepak_chahar9 tere liye maine abhise spot chod diya hai,kya tu tabki baat kar raha hai," he wrote
“@dubeshivam nahi muze match chahea spot nahi (No, I want the match)," Chahar replied, insisting Dube to take on the challenge.
“@deepak_chahar9 chal jaisa tu bole", Dube replied.
Shivam Dube's CSK XI: Matthew Hayden, Michael Hussey, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (captain and wicketkeeper), Ravindra Jadeja, Albie Morkel, Dwayne Bravo, Harbhajan Singh, Lakshmipathi Balaji, Shivam Dube