The countdown has already begun. In about three weeks, BCCI's selection committee, headed by Ajit Agarkar, will announce the 15-member squad for the ICC T20 World Cup in June. With every match, every knock counting for those in the fray for selection, veterans and experts have already begun to make their opinions heard in the eventual squad that India would pick for the ICC tournament. On Friday, following another blistering batting performance from Shivam Dube, cricket legends united to ask Agarkar to make a “brave” call and pick the Chennai Super Kings star for the World Cup.

On the sluggish Hyderabad surface, where the rest of the CSK batters struggled, Dube smashed two boundaries and four maximums in his 24-ball 45, which left former India cricketers like Yuvraj Singh and Virender Sehwag in awe. Overall, the CSK batter has managed 148 runs in four innings at a strike rate of 160.87.

Amid the knock, where Dube ripped apart the SRH spinners, India legend Yuvraj, to whom the CSK batter is often drawn parallel to, hailed the left-hander as a “game-changer” as he backed him for the World Cup squad.

“Good to watch @IamShivamDube clearing the field with ease !! I feel he has to be in the World Cup squad . Has got the skill to be the #gamechanger #CSKvsSRH #IPLT20,” he said.

'Shivam Dube has put pressure on Suryakumar, Pant'

Sehwag, speaking on Cricbuzz, also put his weight behind Dube's selection for the ICC tournament as he felt that the CSK star's consistent show in IPL over the last two seasons has put a lot of pressure on other middle-order options that India could be looking at, including the likes of Suryakumar Yadav and Rishabh Pant.

“I said before the match that the way Shivam Dube has been playing, his ticket should be confirmed for the T20 World Cup. He has put a lot of pressure on players like Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, KL Rahul and now they have to score consistent runs to make the World Cup squad. Take the players who are in-form,” he said.

Speaking to the website, on their English language show, former New Zealand cricketer Simon Doull felt that the slowish nature of the Windies track, the co-host for the T20 World Cup, will aid Dube's game. However, he added that the 30-year-old also needs to work on his bowling, where he hasn't been getting opportunities with CSK using him as an impact player.

“I haven't been down to the Caribbeans in the last 3-4 years , but very rarely do you see a hard, fast, bouncy surface. They are slowish in nature, takes a little bit of turn...that's his game. And if he can continue to work on his bowling, he can turn out to be a genuine option,” said Doull.

Giving two cents on Doull's words, Michael Vaughan, who was part of the panel, urged Agarkar to make that “brave” call and add a few unknown elements to the Indian squad for the World Cup.

“This is where Ajit Agarkar can be brave. Whoever he picks, it will be a formidable team. I think it is the right time to be brave and pick a not-so-well-known names,” he said.

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