'Tim David is an extremely gifted ball striker' - Dinesh Karthik lavishes massive praises for RCB finisher after CSK thumping

Dinesh Karthik, the mentor and batting coach of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, has forwarded massive praises for lower-order batter Tim David for his exceptional finishing show with the bat against Chennai Super Kings, courtesy of which RCB were able to thump the five-time champions in a battle between the arch-rivals in Match 11 of IPL 2026 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.

Karthik believes that David's bat swing and exceptional ability to hit the ball long yards make him a standout performer. David's 70 off just 25 balls propelled RCB to a daunting total of 250-3 against the Chennai-based side. This knock included three fours, but those eight humongous sixes arguably turned the tide in Bengaluru's favour. Karthik says it can happen only when someone is consistent with their practice.

“Tim David is an extremely gifted ball striker. He has a very smooth swing, long levers and all the ingredients required to hit big shots. For him, it’s about ensuring those elements remain consistent in practice. Because he bats in the middle order, he often gets fewer balls in a match compared to top-order batters," Karthik told via JioStar.

In a bid to prepare him better for finishing shows during games, the batting coach ensures that David gets enough balls to face during the pre-game net sessions so that he is fully prepared to strike big from the word go on match days.

"In the nets, it’s important that he faces enough deliveries and stays in a good rhythm. The rest of his game is already very strong. Over the last 12–18 months, he has been one of the most consistent batters in the world in this format," Karthik added.

Catch glimpses of Tim David's batting here

The Australia international was picked to be handed the Player of the Match award and rightly so, as he smashed at a strike-rate of 280.00, which is extremely rare for big knocks in the shortest format of the game.