IPL 2022: Shivam Dube making good use of opportunity to bat up the order for CSK: Sunil Gavaskar

Bengaluru, May 12: Chennai Super Kings' (CSK) young all-rounder Shivam Dube has been garnering a lot of praise for hitting big sixes whenever he has been sent in to bat higher in the batting order in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022.

In the nine games he has played in IPL 2022, the talented left-handed batter from Mumbai has scored 279 runs at a strike rate of 160.34.

Indian cricket legend captain Sunil Gavaskar has lauded Dube for his hitting those big sixes and claimed the team management's decision to send him higher in the batting order is helping the southpaw play long and impactful knocks.

Speaking on Cricket Live show on Star Sports, the official broadcaster of IPL 2022, Gavaskar said, "His strength is his balance. He stands tall and hits the ball straight. He's a better striker of the ball and a more consistent striker of the ball (this season). That's the secret of him picking up the balance.

Dube's CSK will take on old foes Mumbai Indians in Match 59 of IPL 2021 at the Wamkhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday (May 12) evening.

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This has been a season to forget for both the Rohit Sharma-led MI and MS Dhoni-captained CSK.

While MI will be playing for pride, CSK still have an outside chance to progress if they win their remaining games and other results go their way.

But Gavaskar believes there is still lot to play and he expects another good show from Dube, who has represeted the country as well.

"The moment you try and move your foot a little too far across, you'll lose your balance and shape. And most importantly, he's getting the responsibility of batting higher up the order which means he's getting more overs to bat. Earlier, he used to bat down the order for his previous franchises, he could only play five-six overs, you can't score too many runs when you get to play only five-six overs."

Meanwhile, former England cricketer Graeme Swann while referring to Dube's unbeaten 95 off 46 balls against RCB, said the left-handed India batter took the responsibility of a senior player and scored heavily.

Speaking on the same Cricket Live show on Star Sports, Swann said, "Despite being a junior player, Shivam Dube took up the senior's role and batted responsibly.

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"One of the straight sixes he hit in the game against RCB (where he smashed 95 not out), that was one of the easiest sixes I have seen in cricket. 102 meters over the sightscreens, it was ridiculous."

CSK will be eliminated if they lose to MI at Wankhede on Thursday.

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The M S Dhoni-led side would take confidence from their 91-run win over Delhi Capitals in their last outing and hope the batters build on their brilliant showing.

CSK had defeated MI in the first leg. So on Thursday while MI would eye revenge, for CSK, the game is all about survival.

The CSK vs MI pre-match telecast starts on Star Sports and Hotstar at 6.30pm. The match begins at 7.30pm.