All-rounder Shivam Dube has been in a scintillating form since the beginning of the 2023 edition of the IPL and has continued his magical run into the Deodhar Trophy. Despite being out of favor for a while, he got selected in the Indian team for both the Asian games and the Ireland tour.
During the last IPL season with Chennai Super Kings, MS Dhoni used him mainly as a finisher because of his hard-hitting abilities, and the 30-year-old delivered. Dube made 418 runs in the 16 matches at a strike rate of 158.33, playing a crucial role in CSK's run to a record-equalling fifth title.
The Mumbai-based player successfully carried his IPL form into domestic cricket. He smashed an unbeaten 83 off 78 balls for West Zone to lead them to victory against North Zone in the Deodhar Trophy. He collected five sixes and three fours in the innings.
“I cannot express all the things (that Dhoni helped me with),” Dube said in a video shared on the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) website.
"I have upgraded my game. I got to know how to finish the game, how to be in the situation, how to tackle the bowlers, that all things are more important and many things are there but cannot express all the things.
"But, I definitely got some big tips. He told me to play till the end and try to finish the game. You can win many matches from your batting, so keep believing in yourself," he said.
Earlier, Dube stated that it was former India skipper MS Dhoni who gave him clarity about his exact role before the beginning of the season.
“Mahi bhai gave me clarity of thought. He told me what my role is. It was simple 'tujhe jaake team ka run rate badhana hai. (You have to increase the run rate). Even if I get out early no problem but try to complete the task given. The brief was clear,” Dube told The Indian Express.
During the final of the last IPL, Dube played an unbeaten knock of 32 off 21 balls for his team. He batted alongside Ravindra Jadeja who concluded the run chase against Gujarat Titans in an extraordinary fashion.