If Not Now, Then When? Shivam Dube’s Hourglass Is Running Out

Shivam Dube has been in dismal form [Source: @CricCrazyJohns/x.com]

Chennai Super Kings fans are scratching their heads and biting their nails. From title contenders to bottom of the table strugglers, CSK’s IPL 2025 campaign has gone off the rails.

With just one win from five games, the Yellow Army is sinking faster than a stone in water. And to make matters worse, their skipper, Ruturaj Gaikwad has been ruled out with a busted elbow.

But just when the chips are down, in walks the old warhorse, MS Dhoni, ready to don the captain’s hat again and steady the ship, starting with their upcoming clash against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Friday. 

However, if CSK are to make a comeback, they will need more than just Dhoni’s calm head. They need their middle-over Marauder Shivam Dube to wake up from his slumber.

Will Dube Deliver Or Disappear?

Shivam Dube has been CSK’s muscleman over the last couple of years, smashing spinners out of the park and keeping the scoreboard ticking when others struggled. He was their enforcer in the middle phase, the man who broke the shackles. This season? He has been a pale shadow of his past self.

With 106 runs in 5 matches at an average of 21.20 and a strike rate of 143.24, Dube hasn’t hit a single fifty yet. Those are just dismal numbers. The impact isn’t there. The fear factor has gone. The middle overs, once CSK’s goldmine with Dube in charge, now look like quicksand.

Shivam Dube will really need to step up and deliver because if not now, when? The upcoming clash vs KKR presents a perfect opportunity for him to get back to his best. One of the biggest tests for any middle-order batter is how he handles quality spin.

And when it comes to KKR, there’s no bigger test than Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy. Let’s analyse his numbers.

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Shivam Dube vs Sunil Narine In IPL

Analysis:

Let’s start with Sunil Narine. Dube has faced him 28 times across four seasons. Know how many times Narine has dismissed him? Zero. That sounds like a win, right? Not really.

He’s managed just 28 runs off 28 balls, with 12 dot balls. That’s a strike rate of 100, and not a single four to his name. Just two sixes. Narine’s got him tangled in a web. He has kept Dube quiet, made him scratch around. That’s as good as a wicket in T20s.

Shivam Dube vs Varun Chakravarthy In IPL

Analysis:

Against Varun Chakravarthy, it’s been a bit of a mixed bag. In six games, Dube has scored 53 runs off 29 balls, striking at 182.8. He’s smacked 5 sixes, including a brutal assault in 2023 and a quick-fire cameo in 2024.

But Varun did get his wicket once, way back in 2021. Since then, Dube has had the better of him. If there’s one matchup where CSK can bank on him going big, it’s this one. But if he mistimes one and holes out, questions will come thick and fast.

Shivam Dube vs KKR In IPL

Analysis:

When you look at Dube’s full record vs KKR, it’s clear he’s blown hot and cold. Across 6 innings, he has 169 runs at an average of 33.8 and a strike rate of 144.4. His best knock was a 50 in 2023, a match-winning effort that gave fans a glimpse of what he’s capable of.

But apart from that, his performances have been patchy. The dot ball percentage is high (34.2%), the fours are rare (just 6), and it’s the sixes (13 of them) that have kept him afloat.

In short, if he doesn’t clear the ropes, he gets bogged down. And with CSK’s top order crumbling and Ruturaj out, they can’t afford a passenger in the middle.

Time To Step Up Or Step Out

Look, Dube has the game. He has got the muscle. But T20 cricket is a cruel format, there is no place to hide. You’re only as good as your last knock. And with CSK’s campaign hanging by a thread, this match against KKR is make or break.

If not now, then when? This is the time to remind everyone why CSK backed him as their middle-over destroyer. The crowd will be behind him at Chepauk. The pitch might spin, but he loves a challenge.

The only question is: will Shivam Dube show up when CSK needs him the most? Or will he let the game pass him by again?

The ball is in his court. Or more accurately, in his slot.

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