Sunil Gavaskar believes Dube's rise presents India selection headache

With two back-to-back half-centuries against Afghanistan in the ongoing T20I series, Shivam Dube has sent a message to the selectors about him being ready for the upcoming T20 World Cup, which is slated to begin on June 1. In the absence of Hardik Pandya, the all-rounder has done a remarkable job with the bat, which has helped him win the Player of the Match award in the first T20I in Mohali.

Meanwhile, following his two blistering knocks, former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar believes that irrespective of Hardik’s availability, Dube can find a place in the Indian team during the mega tournament. He believes that it would be hard for the selectors to drop him if he continues to thrive in the shortest format of the game. Gavaskar added that the selectors will have a headache during the squad selection but a lot will depend on how they fare in the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League.

“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,” Gavaskar said while talking to Cricbuzz.

I think Dube now feels that he belongs at the international level: Gavaskar

For the majority part of Dube’s career, he has been compared with Yuvraj Singh and was accused of copying the batting technique of the legendary cricketer. However, Gavaskar now feels that he is not copying anymore and is desperate to prove himself in the international circuit.

“I think he 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. I think he is just a lot more comfortable about his own game. He knows his own game better. He is not trying to copy anyone now. He is saying, This is what I can do and what I bring to the table,” the 74-year-old said.