All-rounder Shivam Dube has been picked in the Indian cricket team's T20I squad for their upcoming three-match home series against Bangladesh that starts early next month.

Dube, who first came into the limelight after he blasted five sixes in an over off Pravin Tambe in a T20 Mumbai match against NaMo Bandra Blasters last year, was given the opportunity as a replacement for the injured Hardik Pandya.

"We all felt that the role Shivam has to deliver in, he fits it much better," BCCI chief selector MSK Prasad said. "He bats aggressively, his performances in the India A series in the West Indies and also against South Africa in the one-dayers was phenomenal. Dube has come up by leaps and bounds and we are convinced."

In the recent Vijay Hazare Trophy, Dube slammed the fastest List A century by a Mumbai batsman and bagged the Player of the Series against West Indies A in August.

Since his Man of the Tournament performance in Season 1 of T20 Mumbai, which included picking up the league's first five-wicket haul and nearly getting his team Shivaji Park Lions over the line in a thrilling final, Dube has had many notable performances since.

He smashed five sixes in an over again in a Ranji Trophy game later that year and then got picked up by Royal Challengers Bangalore for this year's Indian Premier League for a whopping Rs 5 crore.

Legendary batsman Sunil Gavaskar, who is also the League Commissioner of T20 Mumbai, had hailed the 26-year-old Dube ahead of the auction as a talent to watch.

"Not since Yuvraj Singh and Sourav Ganguly has a left-hander hit the ball so cleanly and powerfully in Indian cricket," Gavaskar had observed.

Excited to see what #ShivamDubey does if he gets to play! He first shot fame at the @T20Mumbai last in 2018! #EkdumMumbai

— Manish Batavia (@manishbatavia) October 24, 2019

Shivam Dube, a hard-hitting left-handed batsman and a right-arm pacer, has played in 16 First-Class matches scoring 1,012 runs at an average of 48.19, his runs coming at a brisk rate of 67.06, and has chalked up two centuries. His 40 wickets have come at 24.27 apiece helped by two five-wicket hauls, including best bowling figures of 7/53.

His 35 One Day matches have borne 614 runs, with a hundred, averaging at 43.85 and blazing at a strike rate of 121.34. Dube has picked up 34 wickets at 32.50 in the format.

In T20s, his record is modest in the 19 matches the southpaw has played but his record in T20 Mumbai is commendable. In the 11 matches in the league, his runs have come at 62.00 and a strike rate of 174.15, with a highest score of 87* against Bandra earlier this year. His 16 wickets have been picked up at 20.25, and that includes a fifer.

"My dream has been to play for India, but even ahead of that, it's that my dad should be happy seeing me play for India," Dube said of his inclusion in the Indian team.

He will be joined by fellow Mumbaikars Rohit Sharma, as captain, Shreyas Iyer and Shardul Thakur in the squad.

Mumbai Players in India team for Test Series vs Bangladesh:
Rohit Sharma & Ajinkya Rahane

Mumbai Players in India team for T20I Series vs Bangladesh
Rohit Sharma (Captain), Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube & Shardul Thakur.

The Association congratulates the selected players.

— Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) (@MumbaiCricAssoc) October 24, 2019