Renowned former India opener Aakash Chopra has expressed his belief that both Shivam Dube and Hardik Pandya should be considered vital assets for India’s T20 World Cup squad. While Hardik Pandya has been on the sidelines since sustaining an ankle injury during an ODI World Cup match against New Zealand last year, he is anticipated to make a comeback as the captain of Mumbai Indians in the upcoming IPL 2024.
Chopra acknowledges that if Hardik remains fit, he will undoubtedly be India’s primary seam-bowling all-rounder for the ICC event scheduled to take place in the USA and the West Indies in June. However, in Hardik’s absence, Shivam Dube has showcased his potential with noteworthy performances against Afghanistan.
The tall all-rounder, who made his return to the Indian side midway through last year, seized the opportunities provided during the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan. Dube’s consecutive half-centuries in Mohali and Indore, coupled with a couple of wickets, earned him the Player of the Series award with a total of 124 runs.
Chopra, drawing parallels with the six-hitting prowess of the great Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, emphasized Dube’s attacking style of play. Despite suggesting a slightly lower batting order for Dube, Chopra firmly believes that both Hardik and Dube should be included in the T20 World Cup squad.
Highlighting Dube’s power-hitting, Chopra noted, “Shivam Dube’s power is talking loudly… He reminds me of Yuvi (Yuvraj Singh). So you need to keep him slightly down the order.” The former batter emphasized that the T20 format values power, especially considering the spinner-friendly pitches expected in the Caribbean and the United States, where the boundaries are relatively large.
In conclusion, Chopra expressed confidence in Dube’s potential impact, especially if he performs well in the upcoming IPL, considering it as the “icing on the cake” for his selection in the T20 World Cup squad
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