Tim David was bought by the Mumbai Indians for Rs 8.25 crore at the Indian Premier League mega auction earlier this year. The hard-hitting batter played the first two games of the season, but was dropped from the playing XI, having registered scores of 12 and 1 respectively. After missing the next six games, the 26-year-old returned to the playing XI against Gujarat Titans, hitting 44 off just 21 balls as MI registered their first win off the season. David, however, really showcased his prowess against SunRisers Hyderabad on Tuesday.
Since his return to the team, David has scored 139 runs in five matches, averaging just under 50.
With MI reeling at 144 for five in their chase of 194, David slammed a counter-attacking 46 off just 18 balls.
He smashed T Natarajan for 26 in the 18th over, bringing the equation down to a gettable 19 off 13.
However, David ran himself out after trying to retain the strike.
SRH eventually won the game by three runs, giving themselves an outside chance of qualifying for the playoffs.
During a post-match press conference, MI opener Ishan Kishan was asked about MI’s decision to bench David after just two matches.
In reply, Ishan said that the decision was taken for the betterment of the team, and suggested that spending some time on the sidelines help the batter to regain his mojo.
Promoted
“IPL is a big stage and the decisions taken by the management is for the betterment of the team. Nothing personal in it. Unfortunately, he (David) was dropped from the team. But if you look at the other way, he prepared himself to play in the Indian wickets. So, being dropped isn’t always bad as it gives the player an opportunity to analyse his game,” Ishan replied to an NDTV query during a post-match press conference.
“The comeback he has made and the innings he has played have been mind-blowing. So, it was a good call (to drop David). A lot of people will say that the way he is playing, he should’ve been backed from the start. But, it’s always tough for the captain and management to make calls. Sometimes these decisions help players when they return and perform well,” he added.
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