Is Shivam Dube playing vs DC (Source: AFP Photos)
Delhi Capitals are taking on the five-time IPL champions, Chennai Super Kings, in a crucial mid-table clash at the iconic Arun Jaitley Stadium. Apart from MS Dhoni’s absence from the match, what comes as a shocker for fans is the ouster of Shivam Dube from CSK’s primary playing 11.
Thus, in this article, let’s shed light on what could be the reason for Shivam Dube’s absence in today’s match.
Is Shivam Dube Not Playing Today?
Shivam Dube has earned a name for himself as a prominent all-rounder. Playing for CSK, he has been known for his explosive left-handed batting, particularly as a specialist "spin-basher" in the middle overs, and his useful right-arm medium-pace bowling. He was also a key member of India's 2024 and 2026 T20 World Cup-winning teams.
Thus, the absence of his name from CSK's playing 11 against DC has raised many eyebrows.
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It is worth noting that Dube has faced intense scrutiny for poor fielding in IPL 2026 for CSK, with consistent dropped catches and a low-effort body language leading to major, match-turning errors. Notable misses included sitters against MI and SRH, turning him into a liability in the field despite his batting talent.
Hence, logically, it has been understood that the decision to keep him out of the primary 11 is solely to use him as an impact batter later in their batting innings.
DC vs CSK: A glance at the playing XIs for both the teams:
Chennai Super Kings Playing XI: Sanju Samson (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad (c), Urvil Patel, Kartik Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Jamie Overton, Akeal Hosein, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary, Gurjapneet Singh
Impact Player Substitutions: Shivam Dube, Prashant Veer, Matthew Short, Sarfaraz Khan, Akash Madhwal
Delhi Capitals Playing XI: Pathum Nissanka, KL Rahul (wk), Karun Nair, Tristan Stubbs, Nitish Rana, Axar Patel (c), Ashutosh Sharma, Lungi Ngidi, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, T Natarajan
Impact Player Substitutions: Sameer Rizvi, Abishek Porel, Vipraj Nigam, David Miller, Auqib Nabi
Not the first time, Shivam Dube has been used as an Impact Player in IPL
Shivam Dube is a genuine all-rounder with a proven record with the ball for his domestic side, Mumbai, as well as for the Indian national team. However, in the recent years, he has not been a regular bowling option for CSK, with his role being largely limited to the top-tier of IPL finishers.
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Notably, Chennai Super Kings have primarily been using the Mumbai-born as a specialist batting Impact Player since the 2023 IPL season, following the introduction of the rule.
Dube's role was tailored to maximise his spin-hitting ability in the middle order while limiting his need to bowl, a trend that has continued into the 2024–2026 seasons.
His role as an impact player allows him to focus heavily on his high-impact, attacking batting, which has been crucial to CSK's recent successes.
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