BCCI forced to include Shivam Dube in T20I squad as star all-rounder suffers injury

Mumbai all-rounder Shivam Dube has been called up to the Indian squad for the ongoing five-match T20I series against England at home. Shivam Dube will join the Indian national cricket team in Rajkot for the remaining matches of the five-match T20I series, reports The Indian Express.

Shivam Dube was initially not picked for the Indian squad for the T20I series against England. He was not in the selectors’ scheme as his last T20 match for India was in July 2024. He was named in the Indian squad for the T20I series against Bangladesh, but being replaced by Tilak Varma due to a back injury.

Shivam Dube joins the Indian team in Rajkot for the ongoing T20I series

According to The Indian Express, Shivam Dube has been called up to join the Indian squad in Rajkot, where the second T20I match against England will take place. This decision comes after Nitish Kumar Reddy suffered an injury and is yet to recover.

Nitish and Hardik Pandya were the two all-rounders in the squad. Reddy was part of the playing eleven for the first T20I between India and England in Kolkata. The Andhra cricketer did not bowl or bat but took two catches during the match.

India won the first T20I against England at the Eden Gardens and will play the second match in Chennai on Saturday, January 25. The third match will be held in Rajkot on Tuesday, followed by the fourth match in Pune on Friday. This series will conclude with the fifth and final T20I in Mumbai on Sunday, February 2.

Shivam Dube registered two ducks in the Ranji Trophy match against Jammu and Kashmir

Shivam Dube played for Mumbai in a Ranji Trophy match against Jammu and Kashmir where his team suffered a heavy defeat. However, his performance was disappointing as he was dismissed for a duck in both innings.

Dube had earlier been sidelined with a back injury that kept him out of the early part of the Ranji Trophy season. However, the left-handed batsman made a successful recovery and played for Mumbai in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, where his team emerged as champions under Shreyas Iyer.

Team India cruised to a seven-wicket victory in Kolkata

Coming back to the ongoing series between India and England, England were dismissed for just 132 runs after being sent in to bat. Jos Buttler was the top scorer for the Indian team with 68 runs off 44 balls, while only two other players reached double figures. The English batting went from 65 for 2 to 109 for 8.

Varun Chakravarthy was the pick of India’s bowlers, taking 3 wickets for 23 runs. Arshdeep Singh, Hardik Pandya and Axar Patel claimed two wickets each. Ravi Bishnoi also bowled an economical spell of 0 for 22. In reply, India chased down the target of 133 in just 12.5 overs, taking a 1-0 lead in the series.

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