Shivam Dube: India’s Lucky Charm in T20Is
Shivam Dube has emerged as a pivotal player for India in T20 cricket, enhancing the team’s balance in the format. His contributions have allowed the Indian squad to field fewer bowlers, effectively strengthening their batting lineup without jeopardizing bowling capabilities.
During the Asia Cup 2025, Dube played a crucial role, featuring in six out of seven matches, with one match in which he was rested. His inclusion permitted India to align three spinners—Varun Chakravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, and Axar Patel—alongside a singular specialist pacer and another all-rounder, Hardik Pandya.
Dube’s impact extends beyond team composition; he has also become a symbolic good luck charm for the Indian team. Notably, India has not lost a T20I match in their last 36 outings when Dube has been part of the playing XI, a streak that began during the third T20I against the West Indies in December 2019 and continues into 2025.
From these 36 matches, Dube has recorded 34 victories, with one match ending in no result and another abandoned. This remarkable stretch constitutes a T20I world record, with no other player matching Dube’s unbeaten run. The closest competitor is Uganda’s Pascal Murungi, who has maintained an unbeaten run of 26 matches, while another Indian player, Jasprit Bumrah, is currently enjoying a winning streak of 23 matches.
In men’s cricket, Dube’s 36-match streak stands unrivaled. Previous records include a 20-match winning streak by Australian legends like Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting, and Glenn McGrath in ODIs, while the Test match streak belonged to players such as McGrath, Justin Langer, and Matthew Hayden.
In women’s cricket, however, longer streaks have been recorded, with Australia’s Megan Schutt and Jess Jonassen achieving 36 and 35 completed match victories, respectively, while Dube currently holds 34 wins in his streak.
