‘Tactically outstanding’ – Irfan Pathan lauds Gautam Gambhir for promoting Shivam Dube in IND vs ENG semi-final clash | CricTracker

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan was all praises for Indian coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav for their tactical decision during India’s T20 World Cup 2026 semifinal clash against England. The two old rivals put on an instant classic at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on March 5. 

The Indian team was asked to bat first by England’s skipper Harry Brook in the all-important clash. The Indian batters did not disappoint the home crowd, as they amassed a staggering 253 in their 20 overs. It was a great batting effort, but one change in the batting order proved to be a masterstroke for the hosts: Sending Shivam Dube at No.4.

Pathan, too, was impressed by Indian team management’s decision, as the left-hander scored 43 runs in just 25 balls, providing his team a much-needed impetus in the middle overs.

“When Shivam Dube came in to bat at number four, sending him there was a masterstroke from the team management led by Gautam Gambhir and Suryakumar Yadav. This team management has faced a lot of criticism, but tactically they have been outstanding,” Pathan said on his YouTube channel.

“Some very tough decisions were made in this World Cup. Bringing Sanju Samson back was not an easy decision. You could say that Ishan Kishan was removed from his spot, and if Sanju had not performed and the team had not reached the final, there would have been heavy criticism. So that was a big risk,” he added.

The Mumbai batter was sent to tackle spinners, especially Adil Rashid in the middle overs. But the decision was not as straightforward as it seems. Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma, India’s designated middle-order batters, were still to bat. Yet Shivam Dube was sent ahead of them, and it turned out to be a fruitful decision for the hosts.

“But sending Shivam Dube at number four against Adil Rashid in the semifinal was a very, very good tactical move. Because you already have Suryakumar Yadav, and you do not want to push him too far down the order. Tilak is already batting lower. There was also the temptation to send Hardik earlier, but instead they sent Shivam Dube against Adil Rashid,” he concluded.

Watch the full video here:

Apart from Dube, Sanju Samson carried on his tremendous form with a match-winning knock of 89 runs. Ishan Kishan (39 off 18 balls), Tilak Varma (21 off 7 balls), and Hardik Pandya (27 off 12), too, played important cameos. 

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