Star all-rounder Shivam Dube, representing Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the Indian Premier League, recently revealed his All-Time CSK XI, which features some prominent names from international cricket. Dube appointed MS Dhoni, the former CSK captain, as the leader of the side. While he included himself in the team, he surprisingly left out off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin and Deepak Chahar.
The opening pair chosen by Dube comprises the legendary Australian duo of Michael Hussey and Matthew Hayden, who played crucial roles for CSK in the early editions of the IPL. Suresh Raina, fondly known as ‘Chinna Thala,’ occupies the number 3 position, as he has been an instrumental player for CSK, considered one of their most successful batters.
For the number 4 slot, Dube selected Ambati Rayudu, who recently bid farewell to the cash-rich league. MS Dhoni, the iconic figure of CSK, was an obvious choice for the captain and wicketkeeper position, and Dube placed him at number 5 in the batting order.
In the all-rounder department, Dube picked Ravindra Jadeja, Albie Morkel, and Dwayne Bravo, all of whom have played pivotal roles in CSK’s successes over the years. For the bowling attack, Dube chose the experienced Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh and the talented Lakshmipathy Balaji.
Shivam Dube’s inclusion in the All-Time CSK XI comes as no surprise, but it raised eyebrows that he omitted key players like Deepak Chahar, who has been a linchpin in CSK’s bowling lineup, and Ravichandran Ashwin, who significantly contributed to the team’s achievements until IPL 2015.
Chennai Super Kings shared a video of Shivam Dube picking his best CSK XI on their official Instagram account, hailing the team’s strength with the caption, “All-Time XI of Dube is as strong as a clay.” Although Dube’s chosen CSK XI appears formidable on paper, he did miss out on including notable names like Faf du Plessis, Imran Tahir, and Murali Vijay.
On another note, Dube’s consistent performances for CSK in the last two IPL editions earned him a spot in the 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Ireland, starting on August 18.
Shivam Dube’s All Time CSK XI: Matthew Hayden, Michael Hussey, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, MS Dhoni (c and wk), Ravindra Jadeja, Albie Morkel, Shivam Dube, Dwayne Bravo, Harbhajan Singh, Lakshmipathy Balaji