Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan heaped praise on Tim David after the third T20I between India and Australia at Hobart on Sunday. India registered a five-wicket win to level the series as the visitors were able to chase down 187 runs with ease.
Meanwhile, Tim David was promoted to number four and the lanky batter was able to grab his opportunity with both hands. David had the rub of the green on his side as he was dropped by Washington Sundar at backward point when he was on 20.
The hard-hitter was able to make the most of his second chance and scored a fine knock of 74 runs off 38 balls. The right-hander smashed eight fours and five sixes in his blistering knock. David scored his runs at a whirlwind strike rate of 194.74.
Irfan Pathan said on his YouTube Channel, “Look, the way Tim David batted, I think right now if you talk about the top five six-hitters in the world, his name will definitely be included. There is no doubt about that. He even hit Varun for two consecutive sixes when Varun was changing his angle and wickets were also falling, but it didn’t affect him at all.”
“However, the Indian team missed one thing against him, as a bowler, you first need to see where he is standing. Tim David was standing outside the leg stump, and whenever he stands outside leg stump, it means that his off stump is not actually the off stump, it becomes the width. That’s why, even if you target the middle stump, for him it turns into the off stump, because his bat remains open and he stands slightly toward the leg side, away from the stumps.”
Pathan advised the Indian bowlers to bowl a leg-stump line to Tim David as he is dangerous whenever he gets some width to free his arms.
“So whenever you bowl to him, either target his leg stump or his pads. That will be the right line. Do not give him room. Bowling to him on the stumps, especially the off stump, gives him room, which the Indian bowlers did. If you look at his wagon wheel, around 70 to 80 percent of his runs came on the off side, and there was only one run on the leg side near fine leg.”
“That means the Indian bowlers neither used enough short balls nor targeted his pads. They gave him complete freedom to open up and play his shots. So it’s very important as a bowling unit to first observe where the batter is standing. Even though it didn’t turn out to be a match-winning innings, this analysis is crucial,” he added.
The fourth T20I between India and Australia will be played on Thursday at the Bill Pippen Oval, Gold Coast.
