Shivam Dube said the guidance of former India captain MS Dhoni helped shape his batting approach as he scored a match-winning 67 in the final match of the T20 World Cup group stage against Netherlands at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Wednesday.
Dube said he had struggled against pace bowling early in his career, but Dhoni’s advice on batting rotation and controlling intention helped him improve in pressure situations.
“When I first came into the IPL, I faced difficulties against fast bowlers and didn’t bat cleanly. I realized that if I want to dominate at this level and I have the power, I need to work on that. I worked hard in the off-season. Mahi bhai told me that there is no need to hit sixes every time. Boundaries and batting rotation are equally important.
“This clarity of thought helps me a lot. If I get a good ball, I look for boundaries or spin shots. In the death overs, I naturally work harder, but early in the innings, my focus is on smart intentions,” Dube told Jio Hotstar (quoted by news agency IANS).
Talking about pressure situations, Dube said his focus is on batting according to the match situation and staying on until the end if required.
“I don’t feel pressure; I focus on the situation. If the wickets fall, my responsibility is to bat deep. If I stay till the end, I know I can add 10-15 crucial runs in the final over. I avoid taking unnecessary risks in the middle overs. If the situation needs to settle, I bat in rotation. If the platform is set, I am ready to attack from the first ball,” he said.
When India were 69 for 3 after nine overs, Dube came on to bat and stabilized the innings with 66 runs off 31 balls.
He also contributed with the ball, taking two wickets and scoring 35 runs in three overs. For his all-round performance, he was named player of the match.