India began their T20 Asia Cup 2025 campaign with an emphatic nine-wicket win over the United Arab Emirates in Dubai on September 10. The Indian team, led by Suryakumar Yadav, relied on just one frontline pacer and supplemented their attack with Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube. The spinners thrived in Dubai’s conditions as the UAE batting lineup collapsed. Dube, capitalizing on the opportunity, delivered his best-ever T20I bowling figures, claiming three wickets for just four runs.
While Dube’s opportunities to bowl have been limited in the IPL just 21 overs bowled and five wickets taken his T20I record has been more impressive, as he has taken 16 wickets at an average of 28.06 and an economy rate just over nine runs per over. His performance on September 10 marked his career-best T20I figures.
Following the match, Dube opened up about head coach Gautam Gambhir’s pre-game message, which motivated the team for their fixture against UAE and the much-anticipated clash with Pakistan.
“Whenever we play for India, we don’t consider any match as a warm-up match. It’s about pride to play for the country,” Dube reiterated in the post-match press conference. “Be it against UAE or Pakistan, every game is important for me. Gauti bhai always said this: whenever you represent India, it is a chance to do something miraculous.”
India will take on Pakistan next on September 14, a contest that comes at a sensitive time, being the first meeting between the teams since recent security tensions and military conflict at the border in Jammu & Kashmir.
Dube further discussed the importance of fitness in earning his opportunity to bowl for India. “For the last two months, I have worked a great deal on my fitness. As far as my batting is concerned, I know I have a role to play in the middle overs as a power-hitter. I know over the years, bowlers targeted me with short balls, and I have worked on increasing my range of shots,” he explained.
Morkel’s Advice
Bowling coach Morne Morkel has also played a key role in Dube’s development. “Morne has been working with me since I came back into the Indian team for the England series. He has given me certain specific advice and I worked on them,” said Dube. “He told me to bowl a line that is slightly outside the off-stump. He also worked with me in developing a slower delivery and tweaked my run-up a bit. The head coach and the skipper had told me that my bowling would have a role to play.”
In the words of Dube: “When you wear the India jersey, there are no small games. Every opportunity is a chance to do something extraordinary for the country.”
