BENGALURU: A late-over blitz featuring a 6, 2, 4, 6, 6, 6 run of outcomes proved decisive for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, consigning Chennai Super Kings to defeat. In the 19th over, Tim David turned the screw against pacer Jamie Overton, striking so cleanly that the tall Australian ended the spell with eight runs from the over. Across the night, five RCB batters struck 19 sixes in total, and David’s contribution stood out as CSK’s control slipped at the crucial moment.
David’s surge and CSK’s narrow margins
- Tim David, who is a power-hitting finisher, began the contest with CSK able to keep him quiet for the first six balls after he walked in with 35 deliveries remaining.
- Once he found his rhythm, he launched an assault that shifted momentum quickly and effectively altered the tempo of the match.
- At one stage, RCB captain Rajat Patidar—who had been getting going—stepped back and watched as David took charge of the final phase.
- Patidar later praised David, calling him “one of the best finishers I have seen,” after the explosive surge.
- CSK did receive a brief lifeline when David was dismissed on 28, caught bowled off a no-ball delivered by Anshul Kamboj—an opening that CSK would have wanted to convert into a bigger turning point.
- However, Stephen Fleming’s side could not tighten the game after that moment, with Fleming stressing that the margin for error against David is extremely small once he builds momentum.
Fleming acknowledged that once CSK fell behind, the match was always going to be difficult to manage against a batter with David’s destructive ability. He said, “Against a hitter like Tim David, who is very destructive, you’ve got to be absolutely spot on. Once we fell behind, he got his rhythm. There’s really small margins and with a good hitter like David, we’ve got to be more exact than that. So we missed where we needed to be and we got hurt in hardest fashion.”
From injury setbacks to a statement start
David’s outing was also a reminder of his recent journey. Playing for Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League, he had been ruled out on December 26 with a Grade 2 right hamstring strain. He returned for the T20 World Cup, but Australia suffered an early exit, and David’s impact was limited—he recorded scores of 0 and 6 against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka.
Before the CSK game, David’s IPL season began with a modest but unbeaten 16 off 10 balls against SRH. Against CSK, though, he exploded—producing an unbeaten 70 off just 25 deliveries. That innings helped the defending champions register a 43-run win, with David’s timing and clean power-hitting described as a complete masterclass, not merely a result-driven cameo.
He also reflected on his approach and preparation. During nets, David has frequently aimed balls towards the stands, and after the match he joked about it: “I’ve been getting into trouble during training with the boys. We have competitions to try and hit them on the roof and we’re obviously on the side pitches. So, to get one during a match out of the middle, help it up on the roof, it was good fun.”
David credited the clarity he gets through his work behind the scenes, particularly with Dinesh Karthik. “We do a lot of preparation. It’s nice to work with DK. He is an experienced player in these conditions and has been in the IPL for many years. With that prep, you don’t put pressure on yourself to perform,” David said.
At the other end, Devdutt Padikkal admitted there was plenty to learn from David’s batting method. “I wish I could hit anywhere close to what he hits like. Just looking at the technique that he has, you can try and pick up things,” Padikkal said, underscoring how David’s clean execution left a lasting impression even on players from the losing side.
