Star all-rounder Hardik Pandya is currently injured and far from selection. Under the circumstances, in-form all-rounder Shivam Dube has made a strong case for himself to be selected into the Indian team for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024.
Dube’s impressive show in the ongoing T20 series against Afghanistan has strengthened his case as the backup for injury-prone Hardik Pandya.
Moreover, former India player and the son of legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, Rohan, feels that Dube is making sure that he is on the plane to South Africa for the mega event even if Hardik is fit.
“We have been talking about him as, ‘Oh, listen, what if Hardik is unfit?’, I think what he is doing is making sure that even if Hardik is fit, he is on that plane in that World Cup squad. If you put in performances like this, it is very hard for anyone to drop you. It is going to be a really tough decision for the selectors if they decide to drop him. He is doing all that he can, which is giving the selectors a headache,” said Rohan during a recent interaction.
As per the former batsman, Dube is getting more and more accustomed to the demands at the international level, and he is ready to come in as the first-choice replacement for the likes of Hardik Pandya or Rinku Singh in T20Is.
“Dube now feels that he belongs at the international level. He has got the appreciation and respect of his teammates because he put in two absolutely wonderful performances,” he added.