"Give me your passport, I will apply for your visa" - Aakash Chopra on Shivam Dube's place in India's T20 WC squad after explosive knock for CSK vs MI

Aakash Chopra has urged the Indian selectors to pick the Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) Shivam Dube for the upcoming T20 World Cup. He noted that the explosive batter has consistently destroyed both spinners and pacers in IPL 2024.

Dube smashed an unbeaten 66 off just 38 deliveries as CSK set the Mumbai Indians (MI) a massive 207-run target in Mumbai on Sunday, April 14. The visitors then restricted Hardik Pandya and company to 186/6 to register a convincing 20-run win.

Reviewing the game in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra lauded Dube for continuing his destructive run with the bat.

"Shivam Dube - how will you not like this player? The way this player is playing, the way he is showing his power and hitting sixes, name an Indian striker who is hitting sixes more consistently than him against both pace and spin. As soon as he comes, the spinners' overs end," he said (2:55).

"His reputation reaches before him, that he hits a lot, so you shouldn't take a risk with him, and you will bowl all fast bowlers. He hit the fast bowlers also wholeheartedly. He didn't spare anyone apart from (Jasprit) Bumrah. Send him to the West Indies now. The consulate is next to my home. Give me your passport, I will apply for your visa," the former India opener added.

Dube struck 10 fours and two sixes during his unbeaten 66-run knock. He added 90 runs for the third wicket with Ruturaj Gaikwad after CSK were reduced to 60/2 in 7.5 overs.

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"Ruturaj is a serious player" - Aakash Chopra lauds CSK skipper's knock

Ruturaj Gaikwad scored 69 runs off 40 deliveries. [P/C: iplt20.com]

Aakash Chopra also praised Ruturaj Gaikwad for playing an aggressive knock while batting at No. 3.

"Ruturaj is a serious player, there is no doubt about that. He was backing away while batting this time. He adopted an aggressive approach right from the start. He had the idea that they wouldn't be able to win this match if they didn't score 200 because RCB made 196 and they were chased in 15-16 overs," he stated (2:25).

The reputed commentator noted that CSK wouldn't have reached a 200-plus total without MS Dhoni's cameo.

"More than 200 runs were scored only because MS Dhoni came in front of Hardik Pandya in the 20th over. After that, the man, the myth, the Mahi. He arrived and hit sixes one after the other. He was absolutely outstanding. Mahi was hitting, is hitting, and it seems like he will keep hitting," Chopra observed.

Dhoni remained unbeaten on a four-ball 20. He clubbed Hardik Pandya for sixes off the first three deliveries he faced before scoring two runs off the final ball of the innings.