Where is Shivam Dube?’ Aakash Chopra Questions Selectors’ Decision for England T20Is

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Cric News India

January 14, 2025 0 649

Chopra Questions Shivam Dube’s Absence from Indian Squad

Aakash Chopra questioned Shivam Dube’s exclusion from India’s T20I squad for England, noting his key contribution in the T20 World Cup final.

Cricketer-turned-analyst Aakash Chopra has expressed surprise over Shivam Dube’s omission from India’s squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against England. Dube, who last represented India in the ODI series against Sri Lanka in August, was a key part of India’s winning campaign at the T20 World Cup 2024.

Although Dube’s overall World Cup performance was modest, his match-winning 27 off 16 balls in the final against South Africa was key in securing the title. Chopra highlighted that while Dube struggled early in the tournament, his form improved in crucial moments, showcasing resilience. The former cricketer questioned why a World Cup-winning player like Dube was overlooked.

“What happened to Shivam Dube? I wanted to talk about Ruturaj (Gaikwad) as well but he is not able to make his place. Rajat Patidar is also there. Obviously, there is a lot of batting. However, now I am going to focus a little bit on Shivam Dube. He was a member of the T20 World Cup-winning team,” Chopra said on his official YouTube channel.

“When you win, everyone should get the credit. He even played decently in the final. Before that, there were definitely some questions that he wasn’t fielding or batting well. However, then he played well and became the T20 World Cup champion,” he added.

Following the tournament, injuries and limited opportunities kept Dube out of action. Aakash Chopra then pointed out that past selection protocols prioritized players returning from injury, suggesting Dube’s case deserved similar consideration.

“After that, he remained injured a little, didn’t get too many opportunities either, and is now out of the team. No one is talking about him as well. Riyan Parag is not being talked about because he is injured but no one is asking where Dube went. He suddenly disappeared from the horizon,” he said.

“If he was good enough to be a part of the World Cup squad, I am sure he would be worthy of playing for another one or two years. He has remained out because of injury, but there was a theory earlier that whoever goes out due to injury, will come back in first, and whoever replaced him would have to sit out no matter what he might have done,” Chopra concluded.