Chennai Super Kings bowling coach Eric Simmons praised all-rounder Shivam Dube‘s ability of asserting control in a match, after Dube’s unbeaten 66 off 38 balls led CSK to a 20-run victory over Mumbai Indians. Simmons stated that teams are “scared” to bowl spin to Dube, which was evidenced by Mumbai only bowling one over of spin to him from Shreyas Gopal despite using seven different bowlers. Dube capitalized on the lack of spin, hitting the Mumbai bowlers hard as CSK posted a strong total and defended successfully.

“When Shivam is batting, they take the spinners off and start using pacers. He has become more and more effective at that. But they didn’t bowl spin again for the rest of the game because he was at the crease,” said Simmons.

“His mastery of controlling the match stems from his effectiveness against pace bowling, an invaluable skill given that many players today are reluctant to spin the ball.” Simmons further continued.

Simmons pointed out that Dube’s skillful combination of brute force and precise timing has been overlooked.

“He elegantly drives the ball through the extra cover region. Rather than using brute force, he times his stroke perfectly and the ball effortlessly goes to the boundary. People often overlook his impeccable timing with the bat. While possessing raw power, his outstanding timing makes his batting special.” opined Simmons.

According to Simmons, CSK’s philosophy of letting players succeed while providing them with a “safety net” has enabled them to discover their talent.

“Safety is one of the most crucial things you can provide to cricket players. The buzzword is psychological safety. Safety to try, fail, grow, and always face challenges—all while maintaining trust. With Shardul Thakur, there was a joke last year that he was aiming for both the orange and purple caps because he was taking wickets and hitting a lot of runs. He was aware that he was safe because we trusted him.” said the former South African all-rounder.

“I think you have to take some risks at first in order to play like Shivam Dube. He was somewhat in conflict for a while. However, giving someone the space to grow, to feel secure enough to make mistakes and improve is an integral part of the process, and that is what has occurred with him.” claimed Simmons.

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