The ex-cricketer expressed his belief that India has the option to include both all-rounders Shivam Dube and Hardik Pandya in the roster for the highly anticipated T20 World Cup.
Former Indian cricketer turned commentator, Aakash Chopra, shared his viewpoint that India has the flexibility to include both all-rounders Shivam Dube and Hardik Pandya in the squad for the eagerly awaited T20 World Cup, scheduled to commence in June in the West Indies and the United States of America. The 46-year-old emphasized that Dube’s aggressive approach to batting reminds him of former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, suggesting that the 30-year-old should be positioned a bit lower in the batting order for the team.
“Shivam Ati Sundaram – his power is speaking volumes. I felt he was sent slightly early in the third match. You could have sent either Sanju Samson or Rinku Singh ahead of him because he is not a grafter, he is an attacker. He reminds me of Yuvi (Yuvraj Singh). So you need to keep him slightly down the order,” Chopra commented on his YouTube channel.
The former batsman went on to advocate for both Hardik and Dube to be included in the T20 World Cup squad.
“The way he hit sixes in the first two matches, the power was evident. Some people have even said to leave Hardik and pick Dube. I am saying keep both. Shivam Dube is a real contender based on these three matches. If he does well in the IPL, it will be the icing on the cake,” added the former India opener.
Pandya was absent from the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan this month as he continues to recover from an ankle injury sustained during the 2023 ODI World Cup against Bangladesh.
Dube featured in the recently concluded T20I series against Afghanistan, contributing 124 runs and taking two wickets in the three matches.
The former Kolkata Knight Riders player highlighted the significance of power in the shortest format of the game, particularly on pitches in the Caribbean and the United States, where spin-friendly conditions are expected, coupled with decently large playing surfaces.
