Shubham Dubey’s entry into the IPL with the Rajasthan Royals (RR) is akin to a fairytale. After years of perseverance, the 29-year-old finally received his breakthrough when he was acquired by the Royals for a substantial INR 5.8 crore in the IPL 2024 auction.
Dubey’s stellar displays for Vidarbha in domestic cricket attracted attention from IPL teams, leading to a fierce bidding war. However, his journey as a left-handed batsman faced initial challenges.
In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda, Shubham Dubey shared insights into his modest origins. He recounted how the late Mr. Sudeep Jaiswal, former president of the District Bar Association (DBA), provided him with an opportunity during a challenging period for his family’s financial situation.
“We weren’t in such a great financial shape to even think of being provided with a cricket kit. But Mr. Sudeep Jaiswal used to help such players who didn’t have the financial backing to play cricket professionally.”
“He helped me a lot and provided me with all the required equipment right from the start. I used to practice there all day and gradually began to get chances,” Dubey said.
Under Jaiswal’s guidance at ‘Advocate XI,’ Dubey continued to develop his skills and started to garner attention with his performances. He also mentioned his participation in the Times Shield in Mumbai for 3-4 years before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Subsequently, Dubey earned a spot in the Vidarbha senior team and made his T20 debut against Manipur in November 2021. Unfortunately, Mr. Jaiswal, who had been a mentor to Dubey, passed away due to COVID earlier that year, at the age of 53, and could not witness Dubey’s achievements firsthand.
Shubham Dubey on maintaining resilience mindset
Despite being part of the Vidarbha List A team since 2022, Shubham Dubey had to wait until November last year to make his debut in the format. He was often on the sidelines and primarily served as a backup player.
However, his breakthrough moment arrived during the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023/24. Dubey amassed 221 runs in seven matches at an impressive strike rate of 187.28. Emphasizing the significance of staying focused on the process and maintaining patience, Dubey remarked:
“Even when I didn’t have employment, I had made it a routine to go to the ground in the morning as well as in the evening. I didn’t let any family function or personal reason affect my routine. I used to keep talking to players as well for improvement.”
“Jitesh (Sharma) gave me some valuable advice on how to improve my game when we were roommates at VCA. With practice, things just started to fall in place. Other seniors in the team also helped me a lot.”
Dubey expressed that even if he hadn’t succeeded as a cricketer, he would have sought to stay connected to the sport in some capacity. It’s his passion for the game that instilled in the left-hander the belief that eventually, things would fall into place for him.
Transitioning from playing tennis-ball cricket for a living to emerging as a potential finisher for the Rajasthan Royals, Shubham Dubey has demonstrated that dreams can indeed materialize.
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