A sensational four-fer from Mustafizur Rahman, followed by a composed innings of 34* from Shivam Dube helped Chennai Super Kings grab a clinical six-wicket win over rivals Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Ravindra Jadeja and Shivam Dube put up a match-winning fifty partnership and smart shot selection from Shivam Dube helped Chennai seemingly cruise to an easy win for the home side. Rachin Ravindra and Shivam Dube played key roles with the bat as CSK won by six wickets
RCB powered themselves to a competitive total of 173, thanks to a sensational 95-run partnership between batters Anuj Rawat and Dinesh Karthik. Debutant Rachin Ravindra though came in clutch for CSK with some sensational shot-making to help CSK get off to a strong start. Despite timely dismissals from the likes of Cameron Green, RCB seemingly lacked focus in the field, giving away too many easy overthrows, and that is where CSK’s consistent running between the wickets came to hurt the visitors’ chances.
Shivam Dube’s staggering record versus Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Even before stepping as impact player for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL opener in 2024, Shivam Dube enjoys a staggering batting average vs the RCB, a franchise he once belonged before being picked up by Chennai Super Kings . In four matches against the RCB, Dube has smoked 227 runs at an average of 113.50. He has smashed 16 fours and 16 sixes. As per Cricbuzz, his scores read 46(32), Mumbai WS, 2021; 95*(46), Mumbai DYP, 2022; 52(27), Bengaluru, 2023; 34*(28), Chennai, 2024.
Having joined CSK in 2022, Dube now owns 741 runs from 28 games at 35.28. His strike rate reads 155.34. Shivam Dube has smoked five fifties for the Yellow Army. He owns 38 fours and 52 sixes. Overall in the cash-rich league, former RCB and RR player Shivam Dube has clobbered 1,140 runs at 29.23. His strike rate reads 141.08.
Shivam Dube continued his love affair with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League (IPL).Chennai Super Kings batter Dube scored a solid 34* from 28 balls in the IPL 2024 season opener. His effort helped CSK beat the RCB by six wickets as the champions chased down a 174-run target. Notably, Shivam Dube has enjoyed playing against the Challengers.
Shivam Dube walked in when CSK were 99/3. Once Daryl Mitchell was dismissed (110/4), he was supported by Ravindra Jadeja as the two added an unbeaten 66-run stand from 37 balls. Shivam Dube smashed four fours and a six. Jadeja hit an unbeaten 17-ball 25. He struck at 147.06.
Shivam Dube looked comfortable with RCB’s persistent short-bowling on offer in the latter part of the innings . It was a mature partnership for the Kings. However as per the RCB skipper Shivam Dube wasn’t comfortable with short bowling in the initial part of his innings and Faf Du Plessis feel they missed a trick to get out Shivam Dube early.
Shivam Dube wasn’t comfortable with the short ball- Faf du Plessis
Faf’s side did try the shot ball ploy with Shivam Dube, but he navigated it fairly well as his unbeaten 66-run fifth-wicket partnership with fellow southpaw Ravindra Jadeja steered the five-time champions to an untroubled win by six wickets with eight balls to spare. Speaking to the host broadcaster after the match Faf Du Plessis explained their plans, including prepping Shivam Dube with short balls.
“They were batting at a place where they were still in front of the game even though we were pulling it back. Obviously, Dube there, you could see, he wasn’t comfortable with the short ball. So we tried to expose (the weakness) and get some wickets through the middle overs,” Du Plessis said.
Shivam Dube remained unbeaten on 34 off 28 balls and added 66 runs for the fifth wicket alongside Ravindra Jadeja to take his team over the line in the chase of 174.
Rachin Ravindra’s flier handed CSK a 62-run powerplay, but RCB struck back with a few wickets to have CSK at 110 for 4 in the 13th over. That’s when Shivam Dube and Ravindra Jadeja got together. Dube was peppered with short balls – the IPL has a new two-bouncers-per-over rule – a ploy that got him out of his comfort zone. But he didn’t give it away.
“We were always a little bit behind in terms of trying to get ahead of the game,” du Plessis said. “They were batting at a place where they were always still in front of the game even though we were pulling it back. We were trying to somehow find some opportunity to get wickets,”
“Obviously, Dube there you could see, with the short ball, he wasn’t comfortable with that. So, just trying to expose [the weakness] and trying to get some wickets through the middle overs. But at the end, it showed it just was not enough runs,”
Chennai Super Kings now has begun IPL 2024 under Ruturaj Gaikwad on a winning note and would love to keep the same momentum going forward in the two and half months rigorous tournament.