India Must Pick Four Pacers, Drop Shivam Dube for England ODIs
With Hardik Pandya and Nitish Kumar Reddy injured, India's lack of reliable pace-bowling all-rounders makes it better to field an extra seamer than rely on Dube's weak bowling.
Hardik Pandya's absence in the ODI series against England leaves India short of a genuine pace-bowling all-rounder. Nitish Kumar Reddy's injury has compounded the problem, leaving Shivam Dube as the only option in that role. However, Dube's bowling credentials are not suited for ODIs, especially on English pitches.
Dube's ODI bowling record is poor—averaging 106 with a strike rate of nearly 6 an over across his four appearances. His last ODI was in 2024, and he has barely bowled 18 overs in the format. Opponents can easily target his lack of pace and limited skills. Playing him as an all-rounder would be a liability.
Instead, India should consider playing four seamers—Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Prince Yadav, and Gurnoor Brar. This approach provides more bowling depth and control, especially with India's batting strength compensating for Dube's absence. Dropping Dube and relying on the top order to cover the extra batter is a safer bet in England.