Australia has added the 26-year-old power-hitter, Tim David, to the 15-player squad announced on Thursday for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Aaron Finch-led Australia will travel to India for three T20Is and then come back to play their matches against England, and West Indies for their preparation for the mega event.
Australia has added the 26-year-old power-hitter Tim David to the 15-player squad announced on Thursday for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
There aren’t many changes in the squad that won the T20 World Cup 2021 in UAE, except Mitchell Swepson. David has recently made a strong impact in the T20 cricket leagues all over the world but has never featured for Australia.
All the 14 T20Is that he played came from Singapore where he has scored 558 runs – at an average of 46.50 and a strike rate of 158.52, the country where he was born. His last appearance in the T20I was in March 2020 against Hong Kong.
“He is a highly gifted, natural ball-striker who will add extra batting depth to the group which has had a lot of success in T20 cricket,”
national selector George Bailey said.
“We expect him to play a similar role to that he has been playing in the past few years.”
He was in line to play the T20Is against Sri Lanka last year but then he was allowed to take up his deal with Multan Sultans in the PSL where he was guaranteed a spot rather than carrying drinks.
“It’s a different journey, there’s no doubt about that which is exciting,”
Bailey said.
“It’s unique for several things. It’s challenging for players to just be franchise cricketers without having a base or a support network. You might see it more and more, but some challenges are being just a franchise cricketer as well.”
The Australian skipper Aaron Finch also has his say regarding his inclusion in the squad.
“There’s not a huge amount of people who has that ability around the world,”
captain Aaron Finch said.
“The form that he’s been in over the last couple of years has been outstanding as well. He’s someone who just continues to get better and…his power first and foremost is impressive, but the overall package with some handy offspin overs and good in the field.”
The key question raises how will be David going to fit into the squad as Steve Smith arguably the most under-pressure batter in the format, has been allowed to play the game freely?
“I feel like when I’m playing good T20 cricket, I’m in that team for sure,”
Smith said earlier this week in Townsville.
“The role I’ve been given the last couple of years is a kind of ‘Mr. Fix-It’ role and that tag have been taken away from me now… and I felt like I could go out and play with a lot more freedom and not have any hesitation in the back of my mind that I need to be a bit more reserved. I can just take the game on. If I want to smack someone for six first balls I’m able to do that freely.”
Squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis Matthew Wade, David Warner Adam Zampa