“If I tell him, I feel it will be a huge insult to him” says Shivam Dube on asking MS Dhoni for giving bowling in IPL.

In the world of Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket, the seasoned campaigner Shivam Dube, a prominent member of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the 2023 season, has garnered significant attention. His exceptional performance with the bat, amassing a staggering 418 runs in 14 innings, and boasting an impressive strike rate of 158.33, made him one of CSK’s standout players. However, a unique aspect of Dube’s role during the tournament was his exclusive focus on batting, as he did not have the opportunity to showcase his bowling skills.

In a candid conversation on the AakashVani show on JioCinema, Dube addressed an intriguing question about his limited role as a bowler during the IPL. He was asked whether the Impact Player rule, a key feature of IPL cricket, prevented him from taking up the ball and contributing as a bowler for his team. Additionally, the question probed whether he had ever approached the seasoned campaigner and former CSK captain, MS Dhoni, to consider giving him a chance to showcase his prowess with the ball.

Shivam Dube said “If I talk about the CSK team, the sixth option itself was Moeen Ali. I come as the seventh option, so it’s only if it’s very much required. That is one thing because of the Impact Player rule. I am trying to make myself better so that I can contribute one or two overs for the team.”

“If I tell him (Dhoni), I feel it will be a huge insult to him. He knows when to bowl me. He just asks you to keep playing and not to take tension. When I started bowling, he said that my bowling had improved from last year.”