Ahmedabad, Feb 20 (NationPress) - India's bowling coach Morne Morkel has commended the consistent growth of all-rounder Shivam Dube as a bowler, attributing his progress to the confidence and explicit support from the team management.

The former South African cricketer emphasized that Dube's bowling capabilities are impressive and beneficial for the squad.

Discussing Dube's evolution, Morkel noted that the journey commenced over a year ago when the team started entrusting Dube with more bowling responsibilities, including crucial overs across varying conditions.

"With Shivam, I believe all bowlers require confidence. It's essential to feel supported. Our journey with him began more than a year ago when we entrusted him with the responsibility to bowl in Dubai, notably the first over," he stated during a press conference prior to facing South Africa.

"When you sense that support from the captain, coach, and staff, it alleviates pressure. You no longer feel compelled to prove yourself or overexert," he added.

Dube, renowned primarily for his explosive batting, has diligently enhanced his bowling skills. According to Morkel, he possesses effective variations and consistently hits the right spots with force. The primary focus was on assisting him in recognizing when to deploy each variation and improving his situational awareness during matches.

"He possesses significant skill with the ball and has a variety of deliveries. I believe when I catch up with him, he consistently hits the wickets hard. For him, it was all about building confidence and refining his use of variations," he remarked.

"He demonstrates an excellent grasp of conditions and can interpret them adeptly. As a power hitter, he can identify the most challenging deliveries to bowl," he continued.

In the current tournament, Dube has contributed valuable overs and secured essential wickets, including crucial breakthroughs against the Netherlands in the group stage. Morkel mentioned that Dube's ability to bowl two effective overs under pressure has provided India with an additional option.

"He has the potential to quickly secure wickets and offers us control through his precise execution. Credit goes to him for his dedication to enhancing his all-round game, which is vital for providing us with options," Morkel stated.

"If conditions become unfavorable for the spinners and they are under pressure, he is ideally suited to step in and bowl those critical overs. It's a wonderful asset to have him feeling confident in his bowling ability," he added.

Shivam also delivered a spectacular performance with the bat against the Netherlands, rescuing the team with a remarkable 66 runs off just 31 balls. The all-rounder also claimed two wickets and was awarded the player of the match for his outstanding performance.

Looking ahead, India will commence its Super 8 campaign on Sunday against South Africa at the Narendra Modi Stadium.