Knew I could contribute with my bowling: Shivam Dube

LUCKNOW: Early on in his international career, Shivam Dube’s bowling was often seen as supplementary. Over time, however, Dube worked on control, pace variation and accuracy, transforming himself into a genuine sixth-bowling option, a development that has significantly strengthened India’s T20 balance.

“I always believed my bowling could contribute more than people thought,” Dube said. “I knew I wasn’t going to bowl 140kph, so my focus was on hitting the right areas, changing pace, and understanding what the pitch is offering and utilising my seam-up options accordingly.”

That mindset has paid dividends. In multiple T20 matches, Dube has been entrusted with overs when captains needed control — particularly in the middle overs or when a partnership threatened to take the game away.

His ability to bowl cutters into the pitch, take pace off the ball and force batters into mistimed shots has proven effective in India’s recent T20Is. What makes Dube’s bowling rise significant is the confidence the team management has shown in using him tactically. Rather than being a stopgap option, he is now part of the bowling plan. His overs often allow India to hold back a frontline bowler for the death or attack more aggressively with spin at the other end.

“In T20s, as a bowler, I have to be smarter than the batter, try and always be one step ahead. That skill was there in me, but I didn’t have the idea where and when to utilise my variations. But Gauti bhai (Gautam Gambhir) and Surya (Suryakumar Yadav) have instilled belief in me. "They’ve time and again told me that I can come out on top in any given situation. Subsequently, I kept myself in those difficult situations and made sure my confidence level was high, always telling myself that I can succeed in any given situation.

That confidence and self-belief has worked for me in the recent matches I’ve played for India,” the 32-year old said on Tuesday. “During the off season, I have worked on my fitness. When I am with the Indian team, our bowling coach Morne Morkel has helped me develop my bowling skills. He has given me several tips, and those tips have worked for me during live match situations,” he added.