Former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has revealed that he had advised several Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises to go after big-hitting all-rounder Tim David ahead of the 2025 IPL auction. However, his suggestions were largely ignored. Meanwhile, in a smart move, Royal Challengers Bangaluru (RCB) snapped Tim David up for INR 3 crore, and their decision turned out to be incredibly fruitful, with David playing a pivotal role in helping the team clinch their first-ever IPL title. Notably, Tim David, who represented Mumbai Indians in 2024, had been released ahead of the auction.
"I shouldn't say this but I told the decision makers of a few IPL teams to pick him before the last auction. They all said, 'No, his game has dropped off drastically,' Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
"I believe the future of T20 cricket is going to be having tall batters with long lovers and strong build. They are going to rule the roost if there are no changes brought to the wide line. A player RCB picked up at base price (INR 3 crore) has taken his game to the next level. It's good to see Australia sending him up the order. A real steal for RCB," he added.
David had a productive season with the bat for RCB at the IPL 2025. He notched up 187 runs from nine innings at an average of 62.33 and a strike rate of 185.15.