Dube can be someone who likes to hit sixes at follow. He does prepare different elements of his sport, however he completely loves range-hitting. Typically his coaching periods with CSK are nearly hitting sixes as quickly as he feels prepared. It was not doable in New York the place India – and different groups – practised in a small facility that may home solely the nets. In Florida it simply saved raining.
You’d count on Dube to be the happiest individual to get out of New York, and the USA, and onto extra dependable pitches and higher coaching services. He is not. When requested how simple or troublesome, and the way vital, it’s to delete the recollections of New York earlier than going to higher batting tracks, Dube mentioned he wasn’t going to do any such factor. “I will not delete this from my reminiscence as a result of that is my first World Cup. Why ought to I?”
Relish such situations isn’t what six-hitters do. They’re in right here due to their six-hitting. They know the six-hitting cannot occur on surfaces the place the bounce, tempo and path of the ball after the pitching are all unpredictable. So survive them, sure, co-exist with them, however get pleasure from them?
“What I’ve finished previously is rarely doubt myself,” Dube mentioned. “What I see is these situations do not demand what I’ve finished at CSK. These situations demand a special sport. So I used to be batting another way.”
That Dube loved the problem, looking for a method to win matches for India, tells you he needs to be greater than only a six-hitter. Watching him within the nets, the wind-up at all times suggests he’s going to hit a six. After which he acts in keeping with the ball. It is as if his batting is all about doing one thing else solely when the choice of hitting the six is eradicated. And to this point he has discovered himself in situations the place it’s important to hit your very best shot for it to clear the sector. You’ll be able to’t afford even a slight mishit. It’s to Dube’s credit score that he has finished his job with out hitting these sixes.
Dube’s arrival within the West Indies hasn’t essentially been the opening of the floodgates both. The pitches within the nets at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados have had each seam and swing – then the additional garnish of a passing bathe, which spiced them up additional. Dube did not go for range-hitting both, as a substitute spending extra time bowling than batting.
Some day or the opposite throughout this World Cup all this denial will make method for a pitch that requires 200. It might nicely be on the primary pitch at Kensington Oval, which has already hosted one rating of 200. It could possibly be in St Lucia, the highest-scoring floor this match. Or the ultimate. It could possibly be towards the spinners of Afghanistan or towards the various quicks of Bangladesh.
It’s on these high-scoring grounds that India actually need Dube. Whereas what he did through the chase towards USA should have reassured the group of his high quality, India have batters who can anchor a middling chase. With the remainder of his team-mates, Dube has had two coaching periods at Kensington Oval to in all probability undo the muscle reminiscence, if any, of the USA.
Now that change must flick shortly as a result of there may be hardly any time in T20s. The talent, although, isn’t just batting that method however figuring out when to take action. Suryakumar Yadav says the captain and the administration belief the batters within the center to know which tempo to intention for. Dube may have the suggestions from two of essentially the most skilled batters in worldwide cricket to fall again on, however, particularly when batting first, India will rely rather a lot on his intuition to tell what they’re aiming for.
Regardless of the situations could be within the Tremendous Eight, it’s unlikely Dube must wait 60 balls for his subsequent six. India would possibly but want a couple of from him.
Sidharth Monga is a senior author at ESPNcricinfo
