'So many factors about Yuvraj Singh I could see in him': Ashwin lauds India's 'spin-hitting monster'

India vs Afghanistan: Though Rohit Sharma was able to pull all the limelight with his exceptional knock in the 3rd and final T20I of the India vs Afghanistan series, the culminated series will be remembered for the way the new kids on the block impacted the game. From Yashasvi Jaiswal to Rinku Singh, the young guns lived up to the hype and showcased their mettle in different phases of the 3-match affair. The cricket world has come to praise the fresh brigade and comparisons with some stalwarts have also begun to take place.

3 things you need to know

• Ravichandran Ashwin talks about Shivam Dube's exploits
• Shivam Dube scored 124 runs in the 3-match series against Afghanistan
• Dube attained the man of the series performance for his all-round performance

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Shivam Dube's change in fortune

Ever since he has joined the Chennai Super Kings franchise in IPL, Shivam Dube's performance has picked an upward trajectory. The left-hander took India out of trouble in the 1st T20I and guided the team towards victory with an unbeaten 60 off 40 balls. The all-rounder stepped up in the second match as well, scoring 63 off 32 to fetch India a 6-wicket victory. Dube could not continue the flow of runs in the 3rd T20I, but his contribution in the 1st and 2nd T2OI was enough to render him the man of the series trophy.

The left-hander is receiving immense praise for the way he batted against Afghanistan and according to veteran India spinner, Ravichandran Ashwin, his striking suave is reminiscent of the flamboyance of former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh.

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Ravichandran Ashwin lays weight on how Shivam Dube reminds him of Yuvraj Singh

Ashwin, who regularly expresses his views on the happenings around the game through his official YouTube channel, paid heed to the emergence of Shivam Dube and said the following:

“Hardik Pandya is a crucial member of this Indian team. However, the emergence of Shivam Dube… Just like how we divide ears into Before Christ and After Christ, we can divide his career into ‘before CSK’ and ‘after CSK’. In West Indies conditions, which are almost CSK conditions, he is a spin-hitting monster,” the off-spinner said.

R Ashwin referred to Dube as "Yuvraj Singh lite", and reasoned his calling by juxtaposing the attributes of the two.

“I can proudly call him ‘Yuvraj Singh lite’ package. There are so many factoids about Yuvraj Singh that I could see in his game - the downswing, the height and the reach. I am not saying that he is like Yuvraj Singh, just saying he reminds me a lot of him. The beauty here is that he hits spin straight down the ground," he added.

Ashwin further stressed the potential of Dube complementing Suryakumar Yadav from the other end. He then highlighted Dube's prowess with the ball and stated that him entering the mix of things has only given the potential World Cup arsenal more shine.

“When Suryakumar Yadav is playing at one end, a team might try to suppress him by playing a left-arm spinner. When Shivam Dube is that the other end at this point, this is a great combination to have. The options that he gives to the team are tremendous. He can bowl two overs of his quota too," Ashwin said. "He has proved that he can bowl cutters and has developed a back-of-the-hand slower delivery as well. It has just added worth in gold going into this World Cup."

While Ashwin was elaborative about how Shivam Dube reminds him of Yuvraj Singh, he did not address Yuvraj's recent critique of his (Ashwin's) game.