‘Agarkar Bhai Select Karo Please’: Former CSK Star Suresh Raina Makes Humble Request To BCCI Chief Selector
New Delhi: Does Shivam Dube stand a chance to be in the flight to USA and West Indies for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024? Will Shivam Dube be picked ahead of Hardik Pandya in the Indian T20 World Cup? These are some of the questions that are being debated on a daily basis in the lead up to the mega extravaganza which is set to start on June 1. Igniting the debate, former India all-rounder Suresh Raina made a direct request to BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar in public for Dube’s inclusion in the 15-member squad that will be selected shortly.
With the ICC deadline for submitting final squads on May 1 fast approaching, the BCCI selection panel will have a tough job to do to when they sit to pick the final 15. Taking to social media platform ‘X’, Raina said, “World Cup loading for Shivam dube! @imAagarkar bhai select karo please.”
Raina’s backing for Dube came after the left-hander, scored a 27-ball 66 against Lucknow Super Giants, which was studded with three fours and seven huge sixes. The Mumbai batter has been in premium form this season. Be it domestic cricket or the ongoing Indian Premier League, Dube’s show with the bat has impressed everyone, from past to present.
While one would prefer Hardik over Dube because of his experience, but going by the statistics, the CSK batter stands tall. In the ongoing IPL, Dube has so far accumulated 311 runs in eight matches at a strike rate of 169.94. On the other hand, Hardik hasn’t been able to show his true potential with just 151 runs in eight games. Hardik, who is leading Mumbai Indians, also took just four wickets in IPL 2024.
Not just his batting, Dube’s ability to tackle spinners also puts him ahead of Hardik. The way he has been dealing against the slow bowlers like Rashid Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Yuzvendra Chahal to name a few, Dube just thrives against spin which add a valuable dimension to his batting.