Knew I had to bowl well when I got my chance with India again: Dube

When Hardik Pandya was ruled out of the Asia Cup final, the easier call would have been to bring back Arshdeep Singh, the left-arm seamer who had won India the game against Sri Lanka days earlier in the Super Over. Instead, India placed more faith and responsibility in Shivam Dube, their fast-bowling allrounder whose progress had never quite kept pace with expectation.

Dube justified every bit of that faith on the night of that final. He took the new ball, bowled with control and even outbowled Jasprit Bumrah in the early overs. Later, he returned to play a decisive hand with the bat, helping India close out the chase and clinch the title.

There's been no Pandya during this five-match T20I series in Australia either and once again on Thursday (November 6), Shivam Dube was thrust into the spotlight, this time with the bat at No. 3 on a pretty unknown pitch and with the older ball in the middle overs.

Dube, on a pitch very different from the low and slow ones in Dubai, adapted his skills and dismissed Mitchell Marsh and Tim David in successive overs, turning the run-chase on its head.

"Yes, it's important for me to bowl well," Dube said after India's win. "Because when I got the chance [to play for India again], I knew that I had to bowl. "

Having come a long way from being seen as just a spin-hitter to evolving into a genuine all-rounder, Dube reflected on his progress and credited India coach Gautam Gambhir and bowling coach Morne Morkel for their support.

"Morne [Morkel], Gauti bhai and Surya, they came up with a very good plan for me, which track I have to go and what I have to bowl. Morne has helped me a lot. Because there are some small things that have made my bowling better, which was not happening before despite trying hard.

"Gauti bhai backed me a lot for that. Tu bindaas bowling daal [You bowl with a free mind]. We are here for you. You might concede runs but we want you to express yourself. That was the plan even today. So, I did that."

In Queensland, Dube stuck to his plans, bowling into the pitch just like he did on the dead tracks of UAE and bowled to the longer side of the ground to defend the huge square boundaries like he had "never seen before" in cricket.

"165 on this ground is a good score," Dube said. "Because the kind of bowling we have, the quality bowling, the spinners, the fast bowlers. I think it's like that. I trust them. And the whole team trusts our bowlers. Whatever score we get, 165. Definitely, it's a T20 game, any of the batters can come and smack it. But on this ground, the side boundaries are big. So, we have planned it very nicely. And we trust all those bowlers. And we had that confidence. We're going to stop them."

Earlier in the night, he also made 22 off 18 alongside Shubman Gill, cleverly targeting the spinners and adding a crucial 32-run stand for the second wicket on a pitch where the pace was anything but consistent.

"Definitely, it was a very important phase," he said. "Because at that time, the runs were slow. And I knew that Zampa was playing. And he was going to bowl. So, I wasn't thinking of giving the fast bowlers a chance. Because they were bowling to the side boundaries, wanting us to hit there and get out on the big side.

"So, my plan was to rotate the fast bowlers well. I knew that if the spinners come, they will make a mistake. They will bowl in my area and I will charge."

Once again, Dube adapted to the role he was given and delivered, just as he has been doing over the past few months. His delivery in clutch situations as an all-rounder will surely give India the breathing room and combination luxury they need to stay on course to defend their T20 World Cup title at home.