The curtains have come down on IPL 2025, and while the season brought jubilation to Royal Challengers Bangalore with their first-ever IPL title, it was a historic low for Chennai Super Kings.
For the first time in their history, CSK ended as the wooden spooners, finishing last in the points table. Yet, amidst the wreckage of a disappointing season, one man stood tall – Shivam Dube.
Lovingly dubbed “Aaru Saamy” by the Chennai faithful – a nod to a Tamil action hero (with “Aaru” meaning six and “Saamy” meaning god) – Shivam Dube IPL 2025 campaign was less about brute six-hitting and more about resilience, adaptability, and leadership in the face of adversity.
In this article, we will explore about how CSK’s Middle-Order in IPL 2025 was a wreck, yet Dube emerged as the lone warrior for his side.
CSK’s Middle Order in 2025: A Void Waiting to Be Filled
Chennai went into IPL 2025 with several gaps in their middle order. Veteran Ambati Rayudu retired in 2023, while experienced hands Ajinkya Rahane and Daryl Mitchell were released ahead of the mega auction. The team was rebuilding, placing its faith in fresh Indian faces and retaining Dube as a key middle-order pillar.
However, CSK’s auction strategy failed to deliver. Their new acquisitions – Vijay Shankar, Deepak Hooda, and Rahul Tripathi – failed to live up to expectations. With Rachin Ravindra out of form and MS Dhoni not physically at his peak to bat higher in the order, it was up to Dube to carry the load.
And that’s exactly what he did.
From Shivam Sixer Dube to CSK’s Senior Anchor
When Shivam Dube arrived at CSK during the 2022 mega auction, he was seen as a designated spin basher – someone who could come in and tear apart opposition bowlers in the middle overs. And for three seasons, that’s exactly the role he played. Known for his towering sixes and brute power, he quickly earned the nickname “Shivam Sixer Dube.”
Across his four seasons with CSK (2022–2025), he has played 55 matches, scored 1460 runs, smashed 9 fifties, and maintained a strike rate of over 150. Importantly, he has cleared the ropes 100 times, often lifting CSK from tricky situations or accelerating after solid starts. In CSK’s victorious 2023 campaign, he tallied 418 runs and sent 35 sixes soaring into the stands – a true embodiment of a power hitter.
A New Role in IPL 2025
But 2025 brought a new challenge.
CSK lost five of its first six matches, and Captain Ruturaj Gaikwad suffered a season-ending injury. The team looked devoid of intent and direction. Amidst this chaos, Dube had to reinvent himself.
Instead of being the free-flowing six-hitter, he became the glue holding the batting unit together. He adapted from a carefree destroyer of spin to a responsible middle-order veteran. His strike rate dipped to 132.22, his lowest since joining CSK, but his contributions became far more meaningful and situationally aware.
Shivam Dube IPL 2025 Stats
- Matches: 14
- Runs: 357
- Strike Rate: 132.22
- Fifties: 1
What these numbers don’t show is the context. In a season where CSK managed only four wins, Shivam Dube was the match-winner in two of them.
- Against Lucknow Super Giants, CSK were tottering at 111/5, chasing 167. Dube’s gritty 43 off 37 balls*, coupled with a Dhoni flourish (26 off 11), sealed a rare win.
- In a pressure-filled chase against KKR, he scored a patient yet impactful 45 off 40 balls, guiding the team home in a low-scoring thriller.
These weren’t innings that made highlight reels for monstrous sixes, but they earned respect – from fans, critics, and teammates alike.
CSK Middle Order 2025: A Misfiring Core with One Bright Spark
To put things into perspective, CSK’s investment in Indian middle-order options fell flat in IPL 2025. Deepak Hooda managed just 31 runs in 7 matches, Rahul Tripathi added 55 in 5 games, and Vijay Shankar, the best of the lot, scraped together 118 runs in 6 appearances.
With the trio failing to provide any stability or firepower, CSK’s batting frequently crumbled under pressure. But amidst this misfiring core, Shivam Dube soared high. While others faltered, Dube carried the responsibility of the middle order almost single-handedly, showcasing maturity, adaptability, and a quiet dominance that set him apart from his peers.
He may not feature among the typical IPL 2025 power hitters, but a deeper Dube performance analysis highlights his transformation. He anchors the innings, absorbs pressure, and registers his lowest strike rate since joining CSK, all while others fail to step up.
The Evolution of Shivam Dube: More Than Just a Power Hitter
Shivam Dube sixes have always been a part of the all rounders’ charm. But in IPL 2025, fans saw a cricketer who’s matured, understands game situations, and doesn’t shy away from responsibility. He isn’t just a slugger anymore; he’s become a thinker, a leader, and a mainstay in the CSK middle order for 2025 and beyond.
His ability to rotate strike, absorb pressure, and anchor innings despite wickets falling around him speaks volumes about how much he’s grown. In a format often dominated by flashy cameos, Dube is proving that adaptability is a superpower.
CSK’s Future Core: Young Blood and Experienced Shoulders
The 2025 season might have ended in disappointment, but it has planted seeds for CSK’s future. With Ayush Mhatre, Dewald Brevis, and Urvil Patel breaking into the XI and showing flashes of brilliance, the next generation is knocking.
But youth alone doesn’t win titles.
Chennai needs someone who bridges the gap between the old guard and the new flame—someone who understands the franchise’s culture, the demands of finishing, and the responsibility of rebuilding. That someone is Shivam Dube.
Under Ruturaj Gaikwad’s leadership, CSK will need Dube not just as a batter but also as a mentor, guiding force, and stabilizing presence in the middle order.
Dube’s India Ambitions: Rekindled or Rewritten?
Dube has flirted with the Indian team, playing T20Is and ODIs sporadically. He played a decent hand in India’s 2024 T20 World Cup winning triumph. With his kind of power-hitting and now demonstrated versatility, can a national comeback be on the cards?
Possibly, but that depends on India’s white-ball plans and how Dube fares in domestic cricket and IPL 2026. What is clear, though, is that he’s no longer a one-trick pony. He has shown the grit to adapt, the skill to execute, and the hunger to fight – even when the chips are down.
Shivam Dube IPL 2025 performance may not visibly warrant a place in the national squad based on numbers alone. Still, a deeper look reveals the immense value he brings in terms of temperament and adaptability.
Shivam Dube sixes could answer India’s ongoing search for middle-order aggression ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup. If India is ever looking for a flexible, left-handed middle-order option who can finish games and chip in with the ball when required, Shivam Dube’s name will be hard to ignore.
The Pillar CSK Never Knew They Needed
IPL 2025 may not go down as a season to remember for Chennai Super Kings, but Shivam Dube’s rise as a dependable middle-order batter is a silver lining in an otherwise dark cloud. While others faltered, he held the fort. While others lost rhythm, he found his groove in new ways.
He may not have hit as many sixes as before. But he hit the right notes at the right time – the hallmark of a true professional.
As CSK rebuilds for the future, one thing is certain – the middle order will be built around Shivam Dube, the new “Aaru Saamy” of Chennai. A sixer god, yes. But also a pillar of patience, power, and promise.
