"We weren't in such a great financial shape" - Shubham Dubey's emotional rise to massive opportunity at Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2024
Shubham Dubey's arrival in the IPL at the Rajasthan Royals (RR) is nothing short of a fairytale. The 29-year-old, after a period of long resolve, finally got his big break as he was purchased by the Royals for a whopping INR 5.8 crore in the IPL 2024 auction.
Dubey's impressive performances in domestic cricket for Vidarbha caught the eye of the IPL franchises, resulting in a bidding war. However, it wasn't all rosy for the left-hander from the get-go.
Speaking exclusively to Sportskeeda, Shubham Dubey shed light on his humble beginnings. He spoke about how former District Bar Association (DBA) president late Mr. Sudeep Jaiswal gave him an opportunity when it was a difficult time for his family to make ends meet.
"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.
Dubey honed his skills further at Jaiswal's 'Advocate XI' and began to gain recognition with his performances. He also claimed that he played in the Times Shield in Mumbai for 3-4 years before the COVID-19 pandemic struck.
Eventually, Dubey broke into the Vidarbha senior team, making his T20 debut against Manipur in November 2021. Unfortunately, Mr. Jaiswal couldn't witness it as he passed away due to COVID earlier that year, aged just 53.
Shubham Dubey on keeping a strong mindset
Despite traveling with the Vidarbha List A team ever since 2022, Shubham Dubey had to wait until November last year to make his debut in the format. He had been in and out of the team and was mostly a backup player.
However, the big break came in the form of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023/24. Dubey scored 221 runs in seven games at an incredible strike rate of 187.28. Shedding light on the importance of focusing on the process and keeping patience, Dubey stated:
"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 claimed that even if he hadn't made it as a cricketer, he would have tried to remain a part of the sport in some capacity. It is the love for the game that had driven the left-hander into believing that one day, things would work out for him.
From playing tennis-ball cricket for livelihood to becoming the potential finisher for the Rajasthan Royals, Shubham Dubey has proven that dreams eventually can come true.