SELECTION QUESTION
Dube has scored 176 runs in five games at a strike rate of 160 this season. © BCCI/IPL
Stephen Fleming has said Indian selectors will do well to pick Shivam Dube for the T20 World Cup in June. The CSK head coach said that it is not an easy job being a selector, when there are so many players to pick from but he would have the Mumbai batter in the squad for the ICC event in the USA and the West Indies.
“Yeah, I would have him on the side. Yeah,” the New Zealander said. “Well, I love his power. I’m biased, aren’t I? But I think when you have something [power] like that… [I would take him].
“It’s probably one of the hardest jobs in world cricket, isn’t it? Being an Indian selector on one hand, very jealous as a New Zealander, looking at the amount of talent that is on the show and new players every game sort of pops up.”
Dube has scored 176 runs in five games at a strike rate of 160, coming as an Impact Player for Chennai Super Kings. Fleming said the selectors, who are expected to pick the squad in the first week of May, should identify the type of players they want and then pick the side rather than select the players and fit them into the role.
“The thing for me is what type of gameplan do they want to play during the World cup? What have they identified as the right style of play for India in an away condition and then put players into that? Rather than just picking players and trying to find a gameplan, I would be looking at the style of play that I would want and then picking that the players are in form and can perform the role that will best win that design,” Fleming said.
Meanwhile, Fleming also hinted that Ruturaj Gaikwad will be a long term skipper for Chennai Super Kings. “Yeah, I hope so. That’s the plan. And so far it’s worked well. The transition has been really smooth. He’s judged by wins, but we judge it differently. And his leadership around the team is top class. So, yeah, I would imagine it would be hopefully for many years, like the last captain.”
He also delved into how the IPL has developed over the years. “The most important thing is the fan following and the fact that it becomes an intoxicating two months of cricket and fandom and support and it’s just a wonderful injection for cricket. So how can you not love it? How can it not be contagious? And I just hope it keeps growing.”
He added, “Batting, in particular, has evolved at a huge rate of knots, in particular, the last five years. So now you’re seeing some unbelievable skill. The challenge of the IPL, from a skill point of view, is how the bowlers can even the game up a little bit. And the two bouncers [rule] is one, and maybe we need to keep looking at other ways to do that. But I think from an entertainment package, it’s right up there. The quality of cricket that’s played is second to none in terms of franchise cricket.”
© Cricbuzz