Indian all-rounder Shivam Dube picked his career-best T20I figures of 3 wickets for just 4 runs against the United Arab Emirates in the Asia Cup 2025.
Dube Shines as India Crush UAE in Asia Cup Opener
Team India began their title defense grandly, restricting the UAE to just 57 all out in the first innings. Jasprit Bumrah set the tone with an accurate yorker to pick up the first scalp, and then it was all Kuldeep Yadav delivering a Player of the Match performance with figures of 4/7. Dube chipped in effectively, cleaning up the tail to restrict the UAE to a double-digit total.
In return, it was another quick chase, headlined by Abhishek Sharma, with Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill finishing it off in under five overs to seal the win.
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Shivam Dube, who doesn’t bowl frequently, was used strategically by skipper Suryakumar — particularly against the tailenders, and the move paid off as he registered his career-best bowling performance. Speaking on the strategy, Dube credited Morne Morkel for helping refine his approach:
“Morne has been working with me since I came back into the Indian team for the England series. He has given me certain specific advice and I worked on them,” said Dube after India’s thumping nine-wicket win over UAE in Dubai.
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Dube Credits Morkel for Bowling Breakthrough
Dube on how Morkel helped him to bowl slower deliveries
“He told me to bowl a line that is slightly outside the off-stump. He also worked with me in developing a slower delivery and tweaked my run-up a bit. The head coach and the skipper had told me that my bowling would have a role to play,” Dube said at the end of the first innings.
Dube on Batting, Fitness, and Playing for India with Pride
Dube also spoke about where his batting stands currently and how he's aligned his fitness with the team’s needs:
“For the last two months, I have worked a great deal on my fitness. As far as my batting is concerned, I know I have a role to play (as a power-hitter) in the middle overs. I know over the years, bowlers targeted me with short balls, and I have worked on increasing my range of shots,” Dube said.
He also recalled Gautam Gambhir’s advice on mindset and how important every game is when playing for India:
“Whenever we play for India, we don’t consider any match as a warm-up match. It’s about pride to play for the country,” Dube said in the post-match press conference.
“Be it against the UAE or Pakistan, every game is important for me. Gauti bhai always said this: Whenever you represent India, it is a chance to do something miraculous,” Dube concluded.
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