Just over a week remains for the announcement of India's T20 World Cup 2024 squad. The deadline for announcing the squad is May 1, which means that by the end of this month the provisional squad will be announced. India's drought in ICC tournaments has not ended since MS Dhoni-led India won the 2013 Champions Trophy. The heartbreak of the ICC 2023 ODI World Cup final is still fresh in Indian fans' mind and the 2024 T20 World Cup is a brilliant chance to achieve redemption.
While some players like Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah and Virat Kohli look like automatic selections, there are those who may either be selected or rejected because of the limited number of spots. To increase BCCI selectors' troubles, several young Indian players are in form. Like, Shivam Dube.
The left-handed batter is in terrific form for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2024. In eight matches, Dube has scored 311 at a strike-rate of 169.95. he ahs three half-centuries. After his recent half-century against Lucknow Super Giants on Tuesday, BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar received public plea from Suersh Raina to select him.
"World Cup loading for Shivam dube ! @imAagarkar bhai select karo please," wrote in a post on X.
"Shivam Dube is perfect to bat after the top order and before the big hitters. Should be India's No. 4 or No. 5 at World T20," another former India star Mohammad Kaif wrote on X.
Experts have argued that the concept negates the role of an all-rounder. Someone like Shivam Dube has only been used as a power-hitter by his franchise Chennai Super Kings. Dube, also medium pacer, is in contention for the seam bowling all-rounder's option in the India set-up for the T20 World Cup but he has hardly got an opportunity to showcase his talent with the ball.
"I completely agree it's debatable, little concern for sure. But we need to find a way on how to deal with it. In Impact Player rule you will find half all-rounders but not not a complete one," Zaheer Khan said in an online interaction facilitated by JioCinema.