New Chandigarh: Shubham Dubey is no stranger to the Indian Premier League (IPL), having been part of Rajasthan Royals (RR) for the past three years. However, the memorable innings he played on Tuesday at the Mullanpur stadium has now placed him among the emerging stars of this season.
Punjab Kings had been the only unbeaten team this season before Tuesday, but Rajasthan Royals became the first side to defeat them. Credit for the victory goes not only to spinner Yash Raj Punjia (two wickets) and pacers Jofra Archer (one wicket) and Nandre Burger (one wicket), but also to the batting efforts of openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (51) and Vaibhav Suryavanshi (43), along with Donovan Ferreira (52 not out) and Shubham Dubey (31 not out).
From ₹5.80 crore to ₹80 lakh
Shubham Badriprasad Dubey is 31 years old and hails from Yavatmal in Maharashtra. A left-handed batsman, he represents Vidarbha in the Ranji Trophy. The Rajasthan franchise acquired him for ₹80 lakh, although he had been bought for ₹5.80 crore ahead of the 2024 season.
In his career so far, Dubey has scored 808 runs in 41 T20 matches, including two centuries. He first gained attention in Vidarbha’s Bapuna Cup tournament. In the 2023 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he scored 221 runs at a strike rate of 187.28. In IPL 2024, he maintained a strike rate of 173.68, followed by 160.60 in the 2025 season.
Supported Ferreira with aggressive batting
Dubey provided strong support to experienced South African player Donovan Ferreira, who has played nearly 150 T20 matches, helping Rajasthan secure victory. Dubey scored an unbeaten 31 off just 12 balls, hitting two sixes and three fours. He also stitched an unbroken 77-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Ferreira.
High praise from Sangakkara
Rajasthan head coach Kumar Sangakkara has described Shubham Dubey as a highly skilled batsman. “There is no doubt that Vaibhav is currently drawing a lot of attention because he is an outstanding batsman. But when I look at my team, apart from Vaibhav, I see immense talent in Yashasvi, Riyan, Jurel, Ferreira, and Shubham Dubey. Ravindra Jadeja and Dasun Shanaka are also key pillars of the team,” he said.
Dubey was used as an Impact Player against Punjab. As a substitute, it is never certain when or for whom a player will be brought in, which is why such players must stay mentally strong and be ready to step onto the field at any moment.
-
-
-
-
