Former Indian cricket team captain Kris Srikkanth unleashed a scathing public assessment of all-rounder Shivam Dube on his YouTube channel, "Cheeky Cheeka," following India's crushing 56-run defeat against England at the Utilita Bowl in Southampton.The fiery remarks triggered immense debate across the cricketing community regarding Dube's foundational skills and tactical placement within the national setup.
During the match, fast bowler Prince Yadav induced a thick top-edge from England captain Harry Brook in the sixth over of the innings. Shivam Dube misjudged what should have been a routine running catch, dropping Brook when he was on just 3 runs. Brook made full use of the extra life, smashing an unbeaten 95 off 46 balls to guide England to a massive total of 257.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Srikkanth expressed intense frustration with Dube's fielding and status in the squad. "It is impossible to do anything with Dube on the field. He is running circles around the ball”, critiqued the veteran player. Srikanth questioned Dubey by asking, “How can you ever win a match with his fielding? It's a joke that he is an international cricketer and an all-rounder”.
He also condemned the all-rounder as he ruined Yadav's chance of dismissing Brook who went on to score 95, "Dube ruined Prince's chance to get a wicket in his first over. He not only dropped the catch but also fell to the ground with the ball.”
Fans pile on after Shivam Dube's costly fielding error
Shivam Dube’s catastrophic dropped catch during the fifth T20I against England triggered a massive wave of outrage, disappointment, and relentless trolling across social media. Indian cricket supporters quickly ran out of patience as video clips and screenshots of the blunder flooded platforms like X and Instagram.
Fans vocally lamented the immediate cost of the drop; letting England's captain Harry Brook escape when he was on just 3 runs allowed him to go on a devastating rampage, blasting an unbeaten 95 off 46 balls to take the game completely out of India's reach.
Many fans took a harsh, unforgiving stance, branding Dube a major liability in the international arena and actively questioning the team management’s persistence in selecting him over emerging talent. Beyond sheer anger, the cricket community utilized humor to cope with the heavy 56-run defeat.
Dozens of viral posts jokingly claimed that Dube performed a complex “Bharatanatyam” dance routine before completely grassing the ball and crashing onto the turf. Chennai Super Kings loyalists attempted to defend him by calling it a tough chance, but the overwhelming fan consensus aligned squarely with Kris Srikkanth's criticism.
Supporters bitterly noted that his recurring defensive mindset and poor spatial fielding awareness have transformed from isolated mistakes into a highly predictable, permanent trend that compromises the national team's success.
