Australian power-hitter Tim David has been in sublime form in T20Is. In the Caribbean, Tim David managed to pull off a blistering ton, and in the first T20I against South Africa in Darwin, he pulled Australia out of trouble by scoring a substantial 83-run innings, which helped his team win the game.
Earlier in the year, Tim David was also part of the Indian Premier League-winning side Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Coming down the order,Tim David played crucial knocks throughout the season and helped RCB nick off close games. Former Indian off-spinner R Ashwin claimed that he did flag a few franchises about David.
R Ashwin Reveals How IPL Teams Including CSK Ignored His Tip on Tim David Made RCB Champions of IPL 2025
Legendary Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin revealed that he had alerted the IPL teams ahead of the mega auction to keep a close eye on Tim David, but they ignored it. Tim David was released by Mumbai Indians ahead of the auction but didn’t attract much attention when he went under the hammer as Royal Challengers Bengaluru took advantage of it by signing him for just INR 3 crore. It was Sunrisers Hyderabad who initiated the bid for the Aussie power-hitter, but they backed out early as RCB got him for a steal deal.
David made a notable impact in RCB’s power-packed batting order, delivering a few decisive innings in the finisher’s role. He amassed 187 runs at an impressive average of 62.33, while maintaining a striking rate of 185.15, underscoring his ability to score quickly under pressure.
Released by Mumbai Indians (MI), David was eventually snapped up by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for ₹3 crore after Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) initiated the bidding. Much to Ashwin’s surprise, there was little competition for the hard-hitting all-rounder.
“I shouldn’t say this but I told the decision makers of a few IPL teams to pick him before the last auction. They all said, ‘No, his game has dropped off drastically’. I believe the future of T20 cricket is going to be having tall batters with long levers and strong build. They are going to rule the roost if there are no changes brought to the wide line,” Ashwin remarked.
Ashwin praised the Australian team management for promoting Tim David up the batting order, calling him a prototype for the future of T20 cricket.
In RCB’s first-ever IPL title-winning campaign, Tim David featured in 12 matches, playing nine innings and scoring 187 runs at a staggering average of 62.33. His strike rate stood at 185.15, and his contributions included an unbeaten half-century.Ashwin praised RCB to take a bet on David and signed him for just INR 3 crore, which turned out to be a steal deal for them. Ashwin pointed out how RCB got an incredible bargain:
“A player RCB picked up at base price (INR 3 crore) has taken his game to the next level. It’s good to see Australia sending him up the order. A real steal for RCB.”
Despite his brilliant form, David missed the final, Qualifier 1, and RCB’s last league game due to injury. He was replaced in the final by Liam Livingstone, who scored 25 off 15 balls.In 2025, Tim David has been on fire for Australia in T20 internationals. Batting higher in the order, he has become Australia’s leading T20I run-getter this year. From just four innings, he has scored 265 runs at an average of 88.33 and a blistering strike rate of 212.
His big knocks include:
Maiden T20I hundred against West Indies.
Two consecutive half-centuries in the ongoing T20I series versus South Africa.
Tim David’s explosive displays have only reinforced Ashwin’s belief in the value of tall, powerful batters in modern-day T20s.
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