Shivam Dube played a crucial role in Chennai Super Kings’ much-needed five-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants, bringing an end to their rough patch in the Indian Premier League. Shivam Dube stressed the importance of staying calm and playing according to the situation, especially when the team had already faced multiple setbacks in the tournament.
Shivam Dube’s calm approach turns the tide for CSK
Speaking after the match, Dube shared his mindset going into the chase.
“This means a lot, losing 5 games in a row that is not CSK, our bowlers bowled really well and today I had wanted to stay till the end and I had this thought that I wanted to finish the game and I felt this is the time to take the game very deep after losing few wickets in the middle,” he said.
The left-hander highlighted how adapting to the conditions was key. With bowlers performing effectively, he chose to anchor the innings rather than go on an all-out attack. CSK was in a spot of bother at 96-4 in 12.2 overs, needing another 71 runs as the pitch all of a sudden became a minefield and smashing the bowlers wasn’t a good option.
“It’s not about the mindset, and it is about playing according to a situation, which is why instead of attacking, I felt taking the game deep was a better option. My plan was very simple, which was not to try and hit the ball very hard because the bowlers were executing very well. Taking positives from this game to the next game is very important,” he added.
MS Dhoni’s cameo and Shivam Dube’s steady knock seal CSK’s win
The match also saw MS Dhoni light up the evening with an unbeaten 26 off just 11 balls, striking four boundaries and a six in the process. Shivam Dube remained not out on 43 off 37 deliveries, anchoring the chase with maturity. Together, they guided CSK to a final-over win & chased down 167 runs with three balls to spare, snapping their five-match losing streak.
CSK’s next match is against MI on Sunday, 20th April at Wankhede, which is undoubtedly a high-voltage match. CSK would be aiming to keep their resurgence going as they still have a long way to go to qualify for the play-offs. CSK has won 2 matches out of 7, and the conundrum of the middle order is still there, as alone, MS Dhoni can’t always win the game.