India’s Dube credits coach Morkel after crucial spell in Asia Cup win over UAE

DUBAI: Shivam Dube impressed in India’s crushing nine-wicket win over the United Arab Emirates at the Asia Cup on Wednesday and the all-rounder credited bowling coach Morne Morkel with the tactical tweaks and advice that led to his three-wicket haul.

UAE were skittled for 57 runs in the Twenty20 match, with Dube recording career-best figures of 3/4 and Kuldeep Yadav picking up four wickets, before India chased down their target in just 4.3 overs.

“Morne has been working with me since I came back into the Indian team for the England series,” Dube told reporters.

India crush UAE by 9 wickets in Asia Cup clash

“He told me to bowl a line that is slightly outside the off-stump. He also worked with me in developing a slower delivery and tweaked my run-up a bit. The head coach and the skipper had told me that my bowling will have a role to play.”

Dube’s bowling has improved significantly in the past year, with half of his 16 wickets in 36 T20I matches coming in his last four innings with the ball, but he was quick to shut down any comparisons with established all-rounder Hardik Pandya.

“Hardik is like a brother from whom I tend to learn a lot as he has way more experience both in IPL and international cricket compared to me,” Dube said.

“Comparison, I never thought of, as my only endeavour is to learn as much as I can from his vast experience.”

India next play Pakistan on Sunday while UAE take on Oman the following day, with the tournament hosts looking to bounce back from a batting collapse which saw them record their lowest total in a T20I.

“For our batters, to be very honest, they were playing (India’s world-class bowlers) for the first time,” UAE head coach Lalchand Rajput told reporters.

“They were overawed by India’s big names. We should have batted 20 overs. But nevertheless, I think this is a learning process for us.”