Not a white-ball specialist but a proper all-rounder, says Dube

Mumbai’s Shivam Dube in action .
| Photo Credit: EMMANUAL YOGINI

In the Indian cricket landscape increasingly driven by the Indian Premier League and T20Is, Shivam Dube has been tagged as a T20 specialist batter. The man himself, though, served yet another reminder for being seriously considered as an all-rounder and stressed on his ambition of playing Test cricket with a five-wicket haul in Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy semifinal against Vidarbha here.

“It’s not about being a white-ball specialist. People speak depending on the format you do well in. If they check my domestic performances, they will realise that I am not a white-ball specialist but a proper all-rounder,” Dube said after picking his third First Class five-wicket haul on the second day of the semifinal.

“Definitely I have been used (mainly in international cricket) as a batting all-rounder but I have been thinking about utilising my bowling abilities more whenever given a chance. That’s why I have been working hard and getting the results now.”

Dube stressed that he has been “working hard” on his bowling. “It’s been always a dream to play Test cricket, so I have always been working on my bowling. And I am happy with the reward in this game,” he said.

Dube’s ability to use the heavy ball came in handy as he appeared to have rushed the Vidarbha batters during his short bursts. On Tuesday, it took him only 17 balls to scalp three batters and end the Vidarbha innings.

“I have noticed that earlier in red-ball games I used to bowl in the mid-120s but in this game, many of my deliveries crossed the 130 kph mark. I was working on pace. I worked quite hard on my bowling run-up and fitness,” he said.

“Even I wasn’t sure whether it has helped me in gaining speed but was nice to see it having translated on the speed gun. It’s really difficult but I have been working hard on it. I had a brief chat with (India bowling coach) Morne Morkel during the England (limited overs) series, he also suggested a couple of things and I practised them.”