Former India cricketer picks Shivam Dube over Hardik Pandya for T20 WC 2024

Shivam Dube gets incredible backing from the former India captain for the T20 WC 2024 over Hardik Pandya. Sunil Gavaskar claimed that Dube has done enough to replace Hardik in the playing XI of India in the big tournament. The former Indian captain thought of the scenarios when Hardik remains fully fit to be picked in the team and still backed the CSK All-Rounder.

“We have been talking about him as, ‘Oh, listen, what if Hardik is unfit?’ I think what he is doing is making sure that even if Hardik is fit, he is on that plane in that World Cup squad,” said Sunil as he made his choices for the T20 WC 2024. It is worth noting that Hardik, who was appointed the captain of MI for IPL 2024, has been a player who is prone to injuries for a long time in his career.

In 2018, Hardik suffered an injury and stayed out of competitive cricket for more than 8 months. Later in 2019, he suffered another injury and remained out of cricket for another 6-7 months. When he played in the middle, Pandya could not bowl and played in the team as a specialist batter. Gavaskar considered all these aspects and still backed Dube to be in the XI of India.

I think he now feels that he belongs at the international level – Sunil Gavaskar

The former India captain added that the way Dube has performed against Afghanistan in the 2 matches, it is difficult for anyone to drop him. “If you put in performances like this, it is very hard for anyone to drop you,” added Gavaskar. In the first match, Dube scored 60(40) with the bat and claimed 1/9 with the ball at Mohali. If that was not enough, he put on a better performance at Indore.

In the second T20I, Dube scored 63 runs in 32 balls and claimed 1/36 with the ball. In both the matches, Dube remained unbeaten and saw off the chase. Gavaskar added that Dube feels he belongs at the international level. “After these two games, I think he now feels that he belongs at the international level,” the former Indian opener concluded.