NEWS
Follow UsShivam Dube has transformed into a different beast ever since moving to CSK. The tall left-hander slammed 418 runs @ 38 and a strike rate of 158.3 in IPL 2023 and has once again started this season on a phenomenal note. A match-winning 34* against RCB, followed by a 23-ball 51 against GT on March 27 (Tuesday), Dube has become CSK’s Mr. Consistent.
The 30-year-old has been given the role of bashing spin in the middle overs and Dube has done that with utmost ease. He has hit the most number of sixes (21) in the middle overs since 2023. That’s not it, Dube has also worked on his game against pace. This season, he has faced 28 short balls and scored 44 runs at a strike rate of 157.1 without getting out.
“In terms of confidence, the management and Mahi bhai worked with him (Dube) personally, his confidence is very high. He knows his roles very well. Definitely, he is a big plus for us,” said CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad after defeating Gujarat by 63 runs at Chepauk.
Dube smoked two fours and five sixes, hitting his sixth fifty for CSK in 27 innings. For other franchises, he only had one half-century in 22 innings. “This franchise is different from all others,” said Dube, who was named Player of the Match.
“This franchise is giving me the freedom and I also want to win some matches for them. I worked in that way as well - it is helping me, I know they are going to bowl short balls and I'm ready for that. They want me to go on a higher strike rate and I want to do that.”
Dube played his part to perfection but the foundation was laid by Rachin Ravindra. The young left-hander from New Zealand slammed 46 off 20 and took CSK to 62 before perishing on the second delivery of the sixth over. Chennai ended the powerplay with 69 runs on board. In his first two IPL games, Rachin has hit 83 runs at a strike rate of 237.14.
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“Personally felt, Rachin batted brilliantly in the powerplay and took the game away. From there we were always ahead. Definitely, today's game was perfect - batting, bowling and fielding, and against a team like Gujarat we needed to come up with a performance like this,” said Gaikwad.
Meanwhile, the Titans could only manage 143/8 in response. Skipper Shubman Gill admitted that they were out-batted but said he was expecting CSK to score 200, with the surface being so good for batting.
“They outplayed us when we were batting, their execution was spot on. We backed ourselves to get a decent score in the powerplay and once we didn’t, we were always playing catch-up. It was unfortunate for us,” said Gill.
“On this wicket, we were expecting to chase 190-200. I think it’s a great learning for the bowlers. I think it’s better to have this kind of game early on in the tournament rather than in the middle or late. We always expected to chase 190-200, it was a really good wicket. Felt like we let ourselves down while batting.”
