Chennai Super Kings‘ (CSK) skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad praised Shivam Dube‘s improved ability to handle short balls, attributing it to personal guidance from Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Gaikwad noted Dube’s significant contribution in CSK’s 63-run victory over Gujarat Titans in the IPL match on Tuesday.
Dube, who previously struggled with short deliveries, showcased a remarkable transformation, evident in his aggressive batting, including five sixes in a quickfire 51 off 23 balls.
This improvement was particularly notable given his discomfort with short balls earlier in his career.
“Just confidence. When he came here the management worked with him personally, Mahi bhai worked with him personally. He knows what role he is playing and which bowler to take on.
A big plus for us,” Gaikwad praised his big-hitting game-changer.
Dube also mentioned the freedom granted to him by the CSK leadership, highlighting his dedication to readiness for short deliveries, especially since the allowance of a couple of bouncers per over.
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“This franchise (CSK) is something different from all others. They are giving me the freedom. They want me to do better and I also want to win some matches,” Dube said after winning ‘Player of the Match’ award.
In these two games, Dube hasn’t just focused on surviving short balls; he’s also taken an aggressive approach towards them like never before, although the outcomes have been mixed.
“I have worked in that way. It is helping me. I know they will bowl me some short balls and I am ready for that.”
He also emphasized that the team management has consistently advised him to adopt the same strategy in every match — to confront the bowlers head-on.
“They want me to do the same thing I did today. They want me to score with a higher strike-rate and that is what I’m doing.”
According to his captain, Tuesday’s victory was the outcome of a nearly flawless performance.
“Today’s game was near to perfect game, in the sense of batting-bowling-fielding, all three departments. Against a team like Gujarat, we had to produce this kind of performance,” Gaikwad said.
(With PTI inputs)
