Miss six-hitting at CSK: Shivam Dube compares New York pitches to playing Ranji Trophy (2024)

New Delhi,UPDATED: Jun 13, 2024 22:45 IST

Accustomed to batting on the belters of India, big-hitting all-rounder Shivam Dube found the two-paced pitches for the T20 World Cup matches in New York almost like playing in the Ranji Trophy, known for its varied and often tricky pitches. Dube, who represents the Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League, managed to regain some form with a crucial 35-ball 31 in India's seven-wicket win over a resilient USA team. This victory propelled India into the Super Eight stage of the World Cup, which will now move entirely to the West Indies.

Reflecting on his struggles, Dube admitted, "I was struggling with my form and focusing on my process," referring to his successive failures against Ireland and Pakistan at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium. "But here, there was no pressure. All the support staff and coaches backed me and told me, 'It's difficult, but you can hit sixes, so apply it.'" Despite his confidence in his abilities, Dube acknowledged the necessity of adapting his approach to suit the challenging conditions. "I've never doubted myself for what I've done in the past. I just think that these conditions do not demand what I've done at CSK. These conditions require a different approach, so I was batting differently today," he explained.

However, Dube is yet to justify his selection ahead of Rinku Singh, who remains in the reserves. After being named in India's main World Cup squad, Dube managed just 36 runs from five innings in the IPL. His woes continued in the World Cup with scores of 14 (practice match against Bangladesh), 0 not out, and 3 in three outings before finally delivering a composed knock on Wednesday. Chasing a modest 111, India found themselves struggling at 44/3 on the difficult drop-in Nassau pitch. Dube also found it tough to time the ball, taking six deliveries to get off the mark. From being nine off 15 balls, Dube finally managed to connect with an 87-meter six off Corey Anderson in the 15th over.

"It felt like (playing) Ranji Trophy. I don't think in white ball," joked Dube about his wait for a six. "Conditions dictate how you want to play here. You have to choose your best shot to hit a six. Today, I was waiting for that opportunity. It's not easy to come here and start hitting from ball one; you have to take your time," he admitted.

While he may not have enjoyed batting on these tracks, Dube certainly appreciated the conditions for bowling. "Obviously I missed six-hitting at CSK and in India...it's difficult to bat here in these conditions and in the nets as well. It is definitely better to bowl here. I would have bowled more but was hit for a six and didn't get the opportunity," he said.

When asked if he would want to 'delete' the difficult memories of his struggle at this venue, Dube responded thoughtfully, "I won't delete this from my memory because this is my first World Cup." He added, "Only batting is difficult -- be it chasing or batting first. But we had a good partnership and we finished early, so I would say chasing was a little easier as we won today."

Dube described the pitch conditions as unpredictable, with balls skidding, staying low, keeping sideways, and some coming very fast off the surface, making it challenging to judge. "I don't think you have ever seen this in a T20 World Cup," he remarked.

Dube also attributed some of the batting difficulties to the day matches being played in a makeshift stadium without proper stands for spectators. "Because of the backdrop, it's a bit difficult. Moreover, there is a lot of light, so it's a bit difficult to judge the ball," he said.

The woes extended to premier Indian batter Virat Kohli, who got out for a golden duck, continuing his poor run after being promoted as an opener in the tournament. Kohli has scores of 1, 4, and 0 in his three innings so far. When asked about Kohli's lack of form, Dube stated, "There is nothing I can say about Virat Kohli because I'm not Virat Kohli." He confidently added, "His bad patch means he got out cheaply a couple of times but will come back scoring hundreds in the next three matches. We all know his game and how he plays."