Dube says South Africa defeat was the moment India became a 'completely different team'
Shivam Dube has pinpointed India's heavy defeat to South Africa as the match that changed everything for the T20 World Cup champions.
India had been unbeaten through the group stage and into the Super 8s when South Africa handed them a 76-run thrashing in Ahmedabad on February 22. David Miller's 63 powered South Africa to 187 for 7, and Marco Jansen ripped through India's batting with four wickets for 22 runs. India were bowled out for 111 in 18.5 overs, with Dube top-scoring on 42. It was their first loss of the tournament and ended a 12-match winning streak stretching back to the 2024 edition.
We pulled up our socks after that
Speaking to The Indian Express, Dube said the defeat had the opposite effect to what most people expected. Rather than rattling the squad, it sharpened them.
"I feel that everyone is a match winner. There is no one in the side who cannot win you games," Dube said. "We had different performers in each game. Someone always stood up when needed. As a team, we peaked after the loss against South Africa."
"Before that game, we were playing well but we all pulled up our socks after that. We were a completely different team, and our best came in the final."
India needed to win their remaining two Super 8 matches to reach the semi-finals, and did exactly that. They went on to beat England in the semi-final at Wankhede and then destroyed New Zealand by 96 runs in the final at Ahmedabad to win a third T20 World Cup title.
Dube's quiet consistency
While Sanju Samson grabbed the headlines and Jasprit Bumrah dominated with the ball, Dube was one of the most consistent performers of the tournament. He finished with 235 runs from eight innings at an average of 39.17 and a strike rate of 169.06, smashing 17 sixes along the way.
His best came when India needed it most. He made 43 off 25 balls in the semi-final against England and then cracked 26 off just eight deliveries in the final as India set an imposing total.
"I always had the confidence and just backed myself. I had worked hard on it," Dube said. "There was clarity in what the team wanted from me. I didn't promise anything to myself and the goal was to win the World Cup at home."
That clarity of role, handed to him by captain Suryakumar Yadav and coach Gautam Gambhir, allowed Dube to play with freedom. His job was simple: maintain a high strike rate when batting and bowl economically. He delivered on both counts.
The loss that made champions
You hear it in sport all the time: the defeat that sparked a title run. But Dube's account carries weight because India did not just scrape through after the South Africa loss. They got better with every match, peaking in the final where they won by the tournament's biggest margin.
For a team stacked with match-winners, the South Africa game was a rare moment of collective failure. Dube's message is clear: it made them better.
