Tim David still trying to 'figure out a method' to succeed at Chinnaswamy

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) scored 95 for 9 in their 14 overs in the IPL 2025 game at home against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Friday night. Tim David scored 50 of those runs, from just 26 balls. From No. 7.

Despite the situation, despite the conditions, despite the fact that RCB were staring at a third consecutive defeat at home - which happened in the end anyway - "from ball one, he was on top of his game," as Cheteshwar Pujara put it. For his part, David just said that he is still trying to "figure out a method" to do well at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

"It didn't feel so easy [to score quickly in those circumstances]," David said on the broadcast after the game, which RCB lost by five wickets. "Definitely the boys that bat on top hand the [information on] the conditions back down, so I get a chance to see what the pitch is doing and try and play to that method. The practice pitches here have been kind of similar [to the main surfaces] and I'm trying to figure out a method of how to bat best in those conditions."

Speaking on ESPNcricinfo's TimeOut show, Pujara said, "It looked like he was aware of the lengths the bowlers were going to bowl and he had a clear game plan - what kind of shots he wanted to play on that pitch. When you have clarity, it becomes easier. But yeah, he used this opportunity in his favour and I'm sure his confidence will be boosted after this."

David walked out at 33 for 5 after one ball of the seventh over, and hit his first ball, off Marco Jansen, for four with a swat in front of square leg. He hit five fours and three sixes - back-to-back-to-back in the final over bowled by Harpreet Brar - but hardly had any support, the 21 he added with Bhuvneshwar Kumar for the eighth wicket the only bright spot.

"He played a brilliant knock under pressure," Ambati Rayudu said. "He took his time. He paced the innings so beautifully. If he had someone to partner with, it would have been 120 or 130 for RCB. But some amazing batting."

Not having partners is not new to David, who has often walked out with not too many balls to go. The 26 balls he faced on Friday - thanks to the top-order collapse - were the most he has ever faced in an IPL innings, topping the 24 he had faced while playing for Mumbai Indians (MI) against Rajasthan Royals (RR) in 2024.

"Our coaching staff and management have built the squad for a certain reason, with guys that bat in certain positions," David said. "I am pleased, I feel like I am batting well at the moment and can contribute. But I trust the coach for putting me in where I can. If I can get an opportunity to face more balls, like today when the team needed me to, it's important to score runs. I won't be asking too many of those questions [to the coaches]."

The ninth wicket fell at 11.5 overs, so 13 balls were still left in the innings. Josh Hazlewood faced the last ball of that over, and then didn't have to face another as David farmed the strike, and really upped his tempo. When Hazlewood walked out, David was on 19 from 13. He hit 31 more from the last 12 balls he faced.

"I think it's something I am very comfortable with. At times when you're trying too hard, it doesn't come off. I think the challenge has been a couple of times here in Bangalore, trying to bat with some balls in the end, trying to string a partnership together," David said. "Tonight was difficult, trying to get some messaging [about] what the plan was to bat out there in the middle, and get a bit of clarity because if we'd lost the last wicket the innings would be over. So you have to manage the risk a little bit. I'm pleased with how I've been doing it so far, but I'd like to be sitting out there having a drink after a nice win."

By the end of it, David had a record to his name - it was the lowest IPL first-innings total to feature a half-century, topping Virat Kohli's 29-ball 56 in a total of 106 for 2 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), also in Bengaluru, in 2013, in an eight-overs-a-side game.

It was a good day for David, who won the Player-of-the-Match award despite RCB's loss, but the team continued to fare poorly at home.

"I think it's been tough because we've been facing different conditions each match we've played so far," David said. "Tonight, there was rain, and the pitch was under cover, so it's difficult to know how it's going to play. We haven't got a great grasp on… so far we haven't played well on our home ground. So we have to find a template to play in a way to win a couple of games here."