Indian all-rounder Shivam Dube is scripting a remarkable comeback story in T20I cricket, earning his place among cricketing legends such as Yuvraj Singh and Virat Kohli.
During the second India-Afghanistan T20I in Indore, Dube became the seventh Indian player to achieve the rare feat of both taking a wicket and scoring a fifty in a T20I match.
Notably, he is only the third player to accomplish this more than once, following Yuvraj's three instances and Virat's two.
In the opening T20I against Afghanistan, Dube contributed with both bat and ball, securing figures of 1/9 in two overs and smashing an unbeaten 60 off 40 balls.
The trend continued in the second T20I, where he picked up 1/36 in three overs and blazed a fiery 63 not out in just 30 balls, embellished with five fours and four massive sixes.
Joining the ranks of Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Tilak Varma, and Washington, who have achieved this feat once each, Shivam Dube's consistent all-round performances mark a triumphant return to the national side after a three-year hiatus.
Since his comeback during the Ireland tour last year, Dube has featured in seven matches, amassing 170 runs across four innings at an impressive strike rate of 158.87, including two half-centuries.
Additionally, he has contributed with the ball, claiming three wickets in these seven games.