'When I came to bat, I wanted to implement what I have learnt from MS Dhoni about finishing games. I keep speaking to Mahi bhai. He tells me about how to tackle different situations.'
Shivam Dube made a punchy return to the Indian fold with a match-winning 60 off 40 balls against Afghanistan in the first T20I in Mohali and credited the iconic MS Dhoni for the transformation in his attitude and approach.
Dube's fifty headlined India's facile six-wicket win on Thursday, and the knock also earned him the player of the match award.
"When I came to bat, I wanted to implement what I have learnt from MS Dhoni about finishing games. I keep speaking to Mahi bhai. He tells me about how to tackle different situations. He has given me two-three tips and rated my batting.
"So, I feel if he rates my batting then I'll keep playing well. My confidence went up because of that," Dube told JIO Cinema.
Dube's previous appearance for India was in last year's Asian Games at Hangzhou.
The Mumbai player was part of the India squad for home T20I series against Australia but did not get a chance to play and was not selected for the away series against South Africa.
Dube also found shades of Dhoni in the way Rohit Sharma captained the side, and allowed him the space to perform.
"Both allow me to bat higher in the order. There's a lot of work to be done and I know they will back me and want me to do well. So, that makes me feel a lot more positive," he added.
Dube also grabbed the important wicket of Afghan captain Ibrahim Zadran (25 off 22 balls), and the pacer said he has been working on his bowling.
"The changes have not come suddenly. In the off-season, I worked a lot on my fitness. After that, I bowled a lot in domestic cricket too so things kept improving.
"I was able to find the right areas and also generated decent pace," he said.
The 30-year-old Mumbaikar was cautiously optimistic about his chances of finding a place in the Indian team for the T20 World Cup in June.
"It's a dream for every cricketer to contribute and help his country win. So, that's (selection for WC) always at the back of the mind. But there's a lot of time left for it, so I want to take it step by step," he added.
