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India Clinch T20I Series 3-1 as Hardik, Dube, Harshit, and Bishnoi Shine in Pune
Dube's spinning technique and Hardik's perfect pacing were amazing to watch
Shivam Dube was declared as the man of the match against England in the 4th T20I in Pune
India is known for its aggressive batting in the middle overs of T20 cricket. Since 2024, no other Full-Member team has scored faster (9.41 runs per over) or hit more boundaries (182 fours and 141 sixes) between overs 7 to 16. However, England managed to slow them down in Rajkot, thanks to Adil Rashid, allowing only 57 runs for 2 wickets in that period.
India needed a solution in Pune, and Shivam Dube provided it. Over the past couple of years, Dube has been exceptional against spin bowlers. Among those who have hit at least 40 sixes against spin since IPL 2023, Dube has one of the best ratios, hitting a six every 7.23 balls. He recently returned to the national team after recovering from a back injury sustained since the T20 World Cup.
Under head coach Gautam Gambhir, the team emphasises left-right batting combinations, but they deviated from this strategy on Friday. When Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma were dismissed, India sent in Dube instead of Rinku Singh to face Rashid, who had just taken a wicket.
This decision almost backfired as Dube struggled against Rashid initially, but he soon hit a six over midwicket. In his first T20I after six months, Dube scored 25 runs off 11 balls against Rashid, while other Indian batters managed only 10 runs off 13 balls.
Dube wasn't as comfortable against fast bowlers but kept the scoreboard ticking. He was hit by a Jofra Archer bouncer early on but continued to score, including a 34-ball 53 that helped India reach 181 runs. He later suffered a concussion from a Jamie Overton bouncer but had already done significant damage.
After India lost Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya entered at 79 for 5. He took his time, playing cautiously like MS Dhoni, but knew he could accelerate later. Hardik's measured approach paid off as he hit several big shots towards the end, contributing to a crucial partnership with Dube.
Hardik's strategic hitting helped India score 53 runs in the three overs before his dismissal, bringing his half-century in 27 balls. His partnership with Dube added 87 runs in 45 balls, allowing India to reach 180 runs, which proved too much for England, who fell short by 15 runs.
India's bowling coach Morne Morkel praised Hardik's experience and the partnership with Dube, highlighting the importance of their contributions in securing the win.
Brief scores: India: 181/9 in 20 overs (Hardik Pandya 53, Shivam Dube 53; Saqib Mahmood 3/35) beat England: 166/10 in 19.4 overs (Harry Brook 51; Ravi Bishnoi 3/28, Harshit Rana 3/33) by 15 runs
Brief scores: India: 181/9 in 20 overs (Hardik Pandya 53, Shivam Dube 53; Saqib Mahmood 3/35) beat England: 166/10 in 19.4 overs (Harry Brook 51; Ravi Bishnoi 3/28, Harshit Rana 3/33) by 15 runs
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