IPL 2022: “The ball I feel I can hit, I am hitting that delivery”

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) all-rounder Shivam Dube mentioned that he always backs himself and it was this self-confidence that got the side off the mark in IPL 2022. He smashed 95* off 46 as the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) went down by 23 runs at the DY Patil Stadium on Tuesday.

Dube and opener Robin Uthappa (88 off 50) put the RCB bowlers to the sword in a mammoth 165-run stand for the third wicket. Registering his highest IPL score, which was laced with five fours and eight sixes, Dube stated that he takes on all the deliveries in his arc and those he is confident of dispatching to the fence.

“Management has given me security. Additionally, I always back my game. The ball I feel I can hit, I am hitting that delivery. And since I am connecting well, my confidence is high. I am just trying to play my natural game,” the 28-year-old said in response to a Sportskeeda query at the post-match press conference.

The duo revived CSK from 36 for 2 to power them to the highest aggregate of the season – 216 for 4.

After managing a 6-ball 3 in CSK's opening game, Dube turned it around with scores of 49 off 30 (vs LSG) and 57 off 30 (vs PBKS) in the next two matches. The burly Mumbai-born lad is aware of further improving what was working for him in domestic cricket. But he admitted that he is trying not to ponder much.

“Whatever I was trying to do for a long time, I am being to able to execute that now. Whatever game I was playing at the Ranji Trophy and domestic cricket, you have to up that level here. I tried to stay balanced, not think much and back myself. I am following my basic game, rather than doing anything extra,” Shivam Dube, who won his first Player of the Match in IPL, reiterated.

After four successive losses, CSK have got their first points on the board. However, they remain in ninth spot while RCB stay just out of the top four with three wins from five games.

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“The ball was gripping at the start” – Shivam Dube on overcoming wobbly CSK start

Shivam Dube (R) and Robin Uthappa (L) stitched 165 runs off just 73 deliveries [Credits: IPL]

CSK once again endured a tame start, scoring just 37 runs in the powerplay and losing Ruturaj Gaikwad (17 off 16) and Moeen Ali (3 off 8). The Yellow Army’s highest opening stand this season is just 28.

But Shivam Dube, walking in at No. 4, took the attack to the RCB spinners to set the ball rolling. The momentum generated seemed to rub off on the 36-year-old Uthappa as a staggering 156 runs came off the final 10 overs.

Dube put the scratchy start down to the new ball holding in the pitch. But the duo didn’t have any half measures while upping the run-flow, adding that they went for the big shots whenever the ball was in their slot.

“We weren’t talking much. The bowlers we felt we could take on, either I was going for the big hits or he. That even boosted our confidence. The ball was gripping at the start, but then, we decided to attack. The balls we felt we could hit, we went big on those deliveries. It was difficult at the start because the new ball was gripping in the surface, but we backed ourselves,” Shivam Dube explained.

CSK next face the Gujarat Titans (GT) in Pune on Sunday night. According to the IPL 2022 schedule, RCB were scheduled to play the Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Wankhede Stadium the previous evening.