‘Shivam Dube never felt comfortable in RCB, he couldn’t break free’: AB de Villiers credits CSK’s MS Dhoni and Fleming.

AB De Villiers, who shared the dressing room with Shivam Dube in RCB, said the all-rounder could never break free there. Legendary South Africa cricketer AB de Villiers said Shivam Dube never quite felt at ease when was with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. It was after he shifted to the Chennai Super Kings that the lanky all-rounder realised his true potential, feels de Villiers. The former South African skipper is not wrong here. The numbers back him. Dube started his IPL career in 2019 with RCB. He played two seasons for the Virat Kohli-led side and in 15 matches he just managed 169 runs at a strike rate of 122. He was released by RCB and before IPL 2021, Dube found a new home in the Rajasthan Royals. But success still didn’t pay a visit to the power-hitting left-hander. He had a better season alright, scoring 230 runs in 9 matches but the strike rate of 119 was a problem. His bowling was never threatening enough for captains to trust him with 4 overs. The result was obvious. Dube was released again. The left-hander’s problems against the short-pitched deliveries were out in the open now. He also lost his place in the Indian side. When things were looking downhill for the talented Mumbai cricketer, MS Dhoni’s CSK picked him up in the mega auction in 2022. And things took a 180 degree for Dube. He scored 289 runs at a strike rate of 156. De Villiers, who shared the dressing room with Dube in RCB, said the all-rounder could never break free there and it is under MS Dhoni and Stephen Fleming that he has finally found home. “It’s fantastic to see Shivam like this. He never really broke free in the RCB changing room. He was quite a shy guy, worked really hard, and asked a lot of questions back in the day. I think he did a bit of learning there but never felt comfortable. He talks about being free in CSK, and that is the magic recipe that MSD, Gaikwad, Stephen Fleming, and all the guys from the past have set up over there. It’s a workhorse of a franchise that just makes it work every time, every single season, with new players who feel free to express themselves,” de Villiers said on Jio Cinema.