3 reasons why India must not play Shivam Dube as a finisher in T20Is

India clinched the three-match T20I series against Ireland with a game to spare, courtesy of a 33-run victory in the second game at The Village in Malahide, Dublin, on Sunday.

It was Rinku Singh's 38-run cameo off 21 balls that powered the visitors to 185/5 after Ruturaj Gaikwad and Sanju Samson scored 58 and 40, respectively. The Indian bowlers, led by skipper Jasprit Bumrah, then took over and turned in a dominant display to defend the total with ease.

There was a phase where India slowed down with the bat to the extent that even 170 looked difficult. In a surprising move, Shivam Dube was held back and sent in at No. 6 with his entry coming in the 16th over. He was tucked up by pace and but for a couple of sixes in the last over, struggled for timing and rhythm.

Rinku took his time to get his eye in as well before flicking a switch and it begs the question if India got the entry points of these two batters right.

Let's dive further and dissect three reasons as to why Dube ought not to play as a finisher in the Indian T20 setup:

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#1 It hasn't worked for him in the past

Dube was often tried as a finisher during his maiden IPL gig with the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) owing to his ability to hit towering sixes. It did not work out for him though and the case was similar during his first stint in India colors.

In fact, his only half-century in T20Is came at No. 3 when he was promoted up the order against the West Indies in 2019. It's not that Dube needs time to get his eye in but it's not difficult to infer that he prefers playing spin to pace - something that his Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper MS Dhoni also opined during this year's IPL.

With a lack of footwork and a tendency to be tucked up by high pace on a back of a length or short length troubling him, it's hard to expect him to tee off from the word go in the death overs when the pacers will operate predominantly.

Dube can be a handful in that phase once he has spent enough time in the middle and hence, using him as a specialist finisher isn't wise.

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#2 India ought to try Dube as a spin-hitter ahead of next year's T20 World Cup

Dube's numbers against spin in IPL 2023 make for incredible reading - 210 runs at 52.50 and a strike rate of 176.47. He was CSK's de facto spin-hitting floater who would often walk in post the powerplay to keep the momentum going.

With his limitations against pace and strengths against spin quite obvious, it now brings us to how India ought to use him, keeping an eye on next year's T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and the USA. The pitches are, in all likelihood, bound to assist spin, and having a marauding hitter of spin of Dube's ilk offers a momentum-shifting option in that batting order.

If India are keen to use the southpaw's long levers to the fullest, they ought to follow the same entry point approach with him as CSK did in the IPL. Wrist-spinners in particular tend to operate post the conclusion of the powerplay and Dube can be used as India's option to negate that threat.

With the run rate often slowing down in the middle overs on tacky pitches, teams have to find a way to ensure that's not the case. India can certainly give it a shot with Dube to that end but it will work only if they define his role clearly, rather than wasting him down the order as a finisher.

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#3 There are other options more suited to the role

Rinku gave a glimpse of what he can do as a finisher in the second T20I against Ireland. The Indian team also has Jitesh Sharma waiting to get off the bench, having impressed for the Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the last two seasons.

Unlike Dube, both these players have been accustomed to the role of a finisher in the IPL. It's also important to account for Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel's presence in a full-strength Indian squad. Despite Pandya's recent batting struggles, he is expected to finish the innings in the Indian T20I setup while Axar walks in as the spin-bowling all-rounder.

In this regard, Dube doesn't really have an opening in that lower-middle order even as a backup player, with his closest competitors offering more. The think-tank will do well to recognize this at the earliest and optimize his skill a lot better.

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Where should Shivam Dube bat in India's T20I lineup? Have your say in the comments section below!

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