Shivam Dube’s closing burst in the Netherland match has now got a very specific kind of praise - the “this isn’t the same guy anymore” kind.
In India’s final group outing in Ahmedabad, Dube smashed 66 off 31 balls, and then backed it up with two wickets in a 17-run win - a performance that triggered an almost forensic breakdown from former captain Kris Srikkant on his YouTube channel.
Srikkanth’s first read was physical - not just “he looks fitter,” but how that fitness is showing up in skill execution.
“I believe he has gone to a dietician and developed muscle strength for bowling. There is a big difference between Dube we saw in the IPL to now. Even his face just looks slimmer. His hits are all clean with no mistimed shots. He doesn’t shuffle and remains still when hitting big. He is seemingly more focused,” said Srikkanth.
That explains a lot. For a batter like Dube - whose game is built on range hitting without always needing to manufacture angles - stability is oxygen. The suggestion is simple: less movement, cleaner base, better contact… and suddenly the same bat swing looks twice as dangerous.
Srikkant then stitched that visible change to two behind-the-scenes influences: Dube’s own work, and specific nudges from MS Dhoni. “He himself said that he worked on his fitness and technique. He also said that MS Dhoni gave him a lot of advice about not needing to always hit sixes off short balls and just take singles. A lot of homework has gone in during the off-season. He has practiced a lot to the point where good length deliveries are being dispatched with ease,” added Srikkanth.
{{/usCountry}}Srikkant then stitched that visible change to two behind-the-scenes influences: Dube’s own work, and specific nudges from MS Dhoni. “He himself said that he worked on his fitness and technique. He also said that MS Dhoni gave him a lot of advice about not needing to always hit sixes off short balls and just take singles. A lot of homework has gone in during the off-season. He has practiced a lot to the point where good length deliveries are being dispatched with ease,” added Srikkanth.
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Kris Srikkanth’s main point is that Dube’s upgrade isn’t only hit harder it is hit smarter. If you stop treating every short ball like a personal insult and start taking the single when it is the right play, bowlers lose control over your tempo - and that is when the boundary options really open up.
Srikkanth also spoke about Dube’s game-awareness. He highlighted a phase early in the Netherland innings where Dube didn’t immediately detonate. “He has worked on his game a lot. He wasn’t a success in the last two IPLs. He had only five runs off his first 10 balls. The old Dube would have looked to smash the next ball. But here, he took his time, got his eye in, and played the situation. In T20 cricket, you will get your eye in after 10 balls. Then, he smashed the deliveries in his arc,” said Srikkanth.
That is basically a maturity certificate: the ability to absorb 8-10 balls without panic, then cash in when your swing-path and sighting are locked. It is also how you turn from a cameo-batter into a repeatable, bankable middle-overs weapon.
Srikkant rounded it off with a pure ball-striking compliment - the kind that is half awe, half warning for opponents. “I have not seen ball striking like this. There is no stepping out, yet the sixers are going miles. His consistency has been very good in the last six months. He might not get big scores, but it’s all useful 30s and 40s, like the Pakistan game.”
Srikkanth isn’t just reacting one fireworks show. He is arguing Dube’s floor has risen - few mistimed hits, more control, and a method that survives different phases of an innings. And in a tournament where teams are begging for reliable momentum through the middle, Shivam Dube’s contributions might actually be a game-changer.