"He is going to get punished" - Sunil Gavaskar slams Shivam Dube after his over costs CSK their game against LSG in IPL 2022

Former Indian skipper and cricket expert Sunil Gavaskar has expressed his displeasure with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) all-rounder Shivam Dube. Gavaskar was not impressed by Dube's execution with the ball in the penultimate over of the match against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).

CSK posted a mammoth total of 210/7 in their 20 overs and despite a good start from the LSG openers, the Men in Yellow looked set to get their first win of the season. However, with 34 runs needed off the last two overs, Dube conceded a staggering 25 runs and that proved to be a decisive blow for the Super Kings.

Speaking in the commentary box, Sunil Gavaskar pointed out how Shivam Dube was just delivering hit-me balls to the likes of Evin Lewis and Ayush Badoni. He said:

“He has played a fair bit of limited-overs cricket and he is still bowling those length balls. He is going to get punished. Of course, it’s not fair that somebody who has not bowled so far is given the 19th over when the batsmen are looking to play the shots. But look at it… it’s a length ball.”

Sunil Gavaskar also felt the slower ball was not going to get any grip from the surface and thus, it was an ineffective delivery. He added:

“He is bowling the slower delivery but a slower delivery is very useful on a turning, dry pitch. Not on a pitch where the ball is coming off the bat quite nicely.”

Check out who is at the top of the IPL points table 2022 here.

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CSK's calculation has gone wrong: Sunil Gavaskar

While it was Dube who effectively cost CSK the game, Gavaskar believes it was unfair to expect pinpoint accuracy from a player who hadn't bowled in the game until that point.

The 72-year-old remarked that the Super Kings failed in their bowling changes and that is what got them exposed towards the death. Sunil Gavaskar stated after one of the sixers hit by LSG off Dube's bowling:

“Clearly, CSK’s calculation as far as who should be bowling is going wrong. A length ball and a nice easy swing on this lovely batting pitch. He clearly hasn’t learnt anything, Shivam Dube. A quicker ball but length ball this time and it has gone the distance.”

For a champion IPL team like the Super Kings, losing such a game would certainly affect their morale. However, they will know that they need to find inspiration and bounce back as soon as they can if they want to defend their title and enter the IPL winners list again.