Indian Cricket Team got down to action during the first ODI versus Sri Lanka on Friday. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli were back in the team as Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bat first. There was a massive surprise as the Indian team decided to play Shivam Dube ahead of Riyan Parag.
The youngster had impressed everyone with his batting and bowling during the T20I series. His bowling in particular had earned a lot of praise from the former players and cricket experts alike.
Shivam Dube has just played one ODI match before this and it had come in late 2019 against West Indies. That is why it was surprising that Dube had been given the nod ahead of Riyan Parag for the first ODI.
Here are the three reasons why Shivam Dube preferred over Riyan Parag
3- Seaming option preferred
Shivam Dube is a decent pacer with the ability to bowl stump-to-stump line. With the overcast conditions prevailing, the Indian star would be an ideal candidate to put the breaks on the batting. Shivam Dube is also a great option when the team needs a bowler to give the top-line pacers the rest they need. Riyan Parag as good as he has been with the ball during the T20I series might not be the kind of player the team would be looking at in the fifty-over format at this point of time.
2- Looking ahead to Champions Trophy
With the Indian team not keen on touring Pakistan for the 2025 Champions Trophy. The tournament might be played in Sri Lanka or the United Arab Emirates. The pitches could be of the same nature which offers variable bounce off the surface. With his tall frame and ability to bowl variations, Shivam Dube will be more than useful with the ball. India could be using Shivam Dube to check his readiness for the next ICC event.
1- Competition for Hardik Pandya
The team management could be sending a subtle message to Hardik Pandya. If Shivam Dube can perform well with the bat and ball, Rohit Sharma and Gautam Gambhir will have a huge asset on their hands. While Riyan Parag can bowl and bat, the Assam youngster is a spin bowling option rather than a seamer. This is where Shivam Dube comes into the equation and can be a useful addition for India and a possible competition for Hardik Pandya.