Ace India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has lifted the lid on how Australian power-hitter Tim David was almost ignored by the Indian Premier League fraternity ahead of the 2025 mega auction. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin revealed that he had personally advised a few franchise decision-makers to pick Tim David, only for most of them to turn down the suggestion, believing that the player’s form had dipped.
Released by Mumbai Indians before the auction, Tim David’s name attracted little interest when it finally appeared on the bidding list. That hesitation opened the door for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who secured his services for just ₹3 crore, a price that now seems a bargain.
In a star-studded RCB batting lineup, Tim David quickly made himself indispensable in the finisher’s role. Across nine matches, he scored 187 runs at a remarkable average of 62.33, delivering multiple match-winning knocks and ending the season as the sixth highest run-scorer for the franchise.
R Ashwin admitted he felt vindicated watching Tim David’s resurgence. He reiterated his belief that the future of T20 cricket belongs to tall, powerful players with long levers who can clear boundaries with ease. If the wide-line rule remains unchanged, he predicted such batters would dominate the format. He even forecast that Australia’s Cameron Green would fetch a massive price in the next auction, while also cautioning teams to be patient with Mitch Owen, a rising talent who he believes still needs time to adapt to a tournament as demanding as the IPL.
While Tim David impressed in the IPL, his performances in international cricket have been just as impactful. For Australia this year, he has already amassed 265 runs in only five matches, striking at an extraordinary rate of 212. Ashwin described the player as a “real steal” for RCB, praising the Australian team’s decision to promote him up the batting order and lauding his rapid elevation in form since being acquired at his base price.
From being overlooked at the auction table to becoming a key figure for both club and country, Tim David’s recent exploits appear to have proven Ashwin’s prediction correct, leaving those franchises who passed him over with reason to rethink their scouting calls.
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