‘Repeating that would be a great opportunity’ – Shivam Dube opens up on India’s Asian Games challenge

Shivam Dube is part of India’s full-strength squad for the Asian Games 2026, which will be held in Aichi-Nagoya from September 19 to October 4. The men’s cricket tournament runs from September 24 to October 3, with matches taking place at Korogi Athletic Park in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. India are defending the gold medal they won at the previous Asian Games, with Shreyas Iyer named as captain and Tilak Varma as vice-captain for the tournament.

Dube has been included in the 15-member squad as the team prepares for the competition. Before the Asian Games, India will play three T20 Internationals against Afghanistan, providing the squad with match practice ahead of the tournament.

“The Asian Games are a very big thing. We won gold last time in 2023, and repeating that would be a great opportunity for my team and me. So it feels great, and it’s a really big thing for us to be playing in the Asian Games, representing our country, and doing so in Japan,” said Dube as quoted by Hindustan Times.

“We aren’t using the Afghanistan series as preparation for the Asian Games. When you play any series for the national team, you can’t think that I’ll use this series to prepare myself for the next assignment. It doesn’t look good, and it doesn’t suit our style as well. It’s a big challenge for us to play against Afghanistan, and yes, we will try to win the series,” he added.

Dube’s recent international activity has kept him sharp for the upcoming challenge. He has been part of India’s plans as a finishing batter in the middle to lower-middle order, and his dual skills with bat and ball have made him a valuable asset in the squad.

The all-rounder has evolved into a full-utility player for India in recent times, with his bowling improving significantly under the guidance of bowling coach Morne Morkel. Speaking about his development with the ball, Dube credited Morkel for helping him understand the nuances of bowling and evolve into a more effective option for the team.

“As an all-rounder, they want me to bowl those difficult overs. They want to concede fewer runs or take a wicket when it’s really needed. There is no concrete plan regarding which over I will bowl, so I don’t know when I will be called upon to bowl. I am working really hard towards that. Morne has helped me a lot because he told me that bowling those good balls is important, but as a bowler, reading the game is more important. So I am working on that now as well, because I should be smarter than the batters. I should know where he would be looking to hit me. So we are both working in the same direction and trying to get better every day,” said Dube.