India’s veteran spinner Yuzvendra Chahal has showered praise on Shivam Dube ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026. Chahal said Dube is an unsung hero of the team. Dube recently scored a blistering knock of 65 runs off just 23 balls in the fourth T20I against New Zealand.

The left-hander completed his fifty off just 15 balls to give a glimmer of hope to the team in the run-chase of 216. The southpaw smashed three fours and seven sixes in his whirlwind knock.

Chahal said India has the world’s number one all-rounder in Hardik Pandya and the number one bowler in Varun Chakravarthy.

Chahal said on Sports Tak, “Team India has the World No.1 all-rounder Hardik Pandya and No.1 bowler Varun Chakravarthy. Shivam Dube is the unsung hero. The way he is playing, not everyone talks about him. But Dube scores those cameos and picks up 1-2 crucial wickets. There’s also Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh. Kuldeep Yadav is the best wrist-spinner in the team and he is struggling to get in. So, you can see how dangerous this team is.”

The leg-spinner also showered praise on Abhishek Sharma, who has been in a rich vein of form. Sharma recently scored 182 runs in five games against New Zealand.

“Abhishek Sharma is not a batter with no technique or skills. The ball goes where he wants it to. That’s his game and why would a batter want to change his recipe when it’s successful. Batters also keep visualising and there is training involved too.”

Chahal acknowledged that gun players like Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya are going to hold the key for India but wants Suryakumar Yadav’s team to come up with a collective effort.

He concluded, “Jasprit Bumrah is No.1, whether or not he takes wickets. The opposition knows how much pressure he has. Hardik Pandya is the No.1 all-rounder, the way he bowls with the new ball, the middle overs and how he bats. But one or two players can’t give you success. All the players must step up.”

India will begin their T20 World Cup campaign against the USA on February 7.