Shivam Dube benched as India win five-match T20I series 3–2 over New Zealand

India defeated New Zealand 3–2 in a five-match T20I series recently, and the series became notable for India’s repeated selection of Nitish Kumar Reddy while Shivam Dube remained on the bench.

The visitors won the first three matches, sealing the series victory, before the hosts fought back with back-to-back wins, although that recovery arrived too late to alter the outcome. One topic of discussion among Indian fans was the persistent use of all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy across the series. Shivam Dube was part of India’s two consecutive T20 World Cup-winning campaigns and played a significant role in several crucial matches during those tournaments.

In Hardik Pandya’s absence, who is India’s premier fast-bowling all-rounder in white-ball formats, Nitish Kumar Reddy has emerged as one of the options for the team management across all three formats, which has complicated Dube’s prospects for T20I selection. After Pandya, Reddy and Dube are among the few medium-pace all-rounder options available to the team management.

Although Shivam Dube did not play a single match in the T20I series against New Zealand, the team management repeatedly backed Reddy as their pace-bowling all-rounder during the five games. That selection pattern left Dube outside India’s playing XI throughout the tour.

While it may be difficult for Shivam Dube to regain his spot in India’s regular playing XI, it is highly unlikely he will be dropped from the T20I team. The current debate over his place stems directly from his absence from the playing XI during the New Zealand series.

No one can deny that Shivam has been one of India’s most dependable players under pressure over the last three years, and on both occasions he played match-changing knocks several times, which had a profound impact on the game. The team management has indicated it will rotate players and give everyone a chance to showcase their abilities.