Tim David searching for method of success at RCB after his longest IPL knock saved his side’s blushes to some extent.
Tim David searching for that consistent success that can give his RCB side more chance of being better.
He was the lone bright spark in RCB’s batting effort against PBKS, scoring 50 in 26 balls. His innings gave the RCB scoreline respectability, something that was unlikely in the early exchanges.
As Cheteshwar Pujara stated, “from ball one, he was on top of his game,” despite the circumstances, the context, and the reality that RCB was facing a third straight home loss, which ultimately occurred. David just stated that he is still endeavouring to “figure out a method” in order to perform effectively at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
“It didn’t feel so easy [to score quickly in those circumstances],” David said on the broadcast after the game, which RCB lost by five wickets. “Definitely the boys that bat on top hand the [information on] the conditions back down, so I get a chance to see what the pitch is doing and try and play to that method. The practice pitches here have been kind of similar [to the main surfaces] and I’m trying to figure out a method of how to bat best in those conditions.”
David smacked his first ball off Marco Jansen for four with a swat in front of square leg and walked out at 33 for 5 after one ball of the seventh over. In Harpreet Brar’s final over, he struck five fours and three sixes in a row, but he had very little support; the only bright spot was the 21 he contributed with Bhuvneshwar Kumar for the eighth wicket.
“He played a brilliant knock under pressure,” Ambati Rayudu said. “He took his time. He paced the innings so beautifully. If he had someone to partner with, it would have been 120 or 130 for RCB. But some amazing batting.”
David is no stranger to being out of partners; He has frequently left with a few balls left. Due to the top-order collapse, he faced 26 balls on Friday, which was more than he has ever faced in an IPL innings. He had previously faced 24 balls in 2024 when playing for the Mumbai Indians (MI) against the Rajasthan Royals (RR).
There were still 13 balls in the innings when the ninth wicket went at 11.5 overs. After Josh Hazlewood faced the final ball of that over, David farmed the strike and significantly increased his pace, saving him from having to face another ball. At the time Hazlewood left, David was on 19 instead of 13. From the final 12 balls he faced, he hit 31 more.
“I think it’s something I am very comfortable with. At times when you’re trying too hard, it doesn’t come off. I think the challenge has been a couple of times here in Bangalore, trying to bat with some balls in the end, trying to string a partnership together,” David said. “Tonight was difficult, trying to get some messaging [about] what the plan was to bat out there in the middle, and get a bit of clarity because if we’d lost the last wicket the innings would be over. So you have to manage the risk a little bit. I’m pleased with how I’ve been doing it so far, but I’d like to be sitting out there having a drink after a nice win.”