Ranji Trophy 2024-25: Shivam Dube persists with Test dream as hardwork with ball pays off against Vidarbha

Ranji Trophy 2024-25: Shivam Dube persists with Test dream as hardwork with ball pays off against Vidarbha

In an 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 another reminder to be considered as an all-format all-rounder. Dube stressed on his ambition of playing Test cricket with a five-wicket haul in Mumbai’s Ranji Trophy semifinal against Vidarbha.

“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’s ability to use the heavy ball came in handy as he 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 balls have 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 Morne Morkel during the England (limited overs) series, he also suggested a couple of things and I practised on them.”