Tim David revealed that it wasn’t Virat Kohli but Dinesh Karthik who played a crucial role in helping him master the challenging conditions at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium — a preparation that powered his explosive 25-ball 70 in Indian Premier League 2026.
In a high-scoring thriller, Royal Challengers Bengaluru crushed Chennai Super Kings by 43 runs, posting a massive 250/3 before bundling out CSK for 207. But the biggest talking point wasn’t just the scoreline, it was David’s calculated assault backed by behind-the-scenes tactical preparation.
Tim David Credits Dinesh Karthik, Not Kohli
David’s innings was not just brute power. It was precision hitting tailored to Bengaluru conditions, something he directly credited to Karthik.
“I do not change my game much, but I have confidence from all the preparation that I do. It is nice to work with DK (Dinesh Karthik’s fraternity name), he is an experienced player in these conditions. I have been in the IPL for a few years and with that kind of preparation, you don’t put pressure on yourself to perform,” David said at the post-match presentation.
This insight matters. At Chinnaswamy, where boundaries are short and margins razor-thin, experience often trumps raw talent. Karthik’s local knowledge appears to have given David that edge.
A Finishing Masterclass at Chinnaswamy
David’s numbers underline the dominance:
70 off 25 balls*
8 sixes, 3 fours
Strike rate: 280+
97 runs scored by RCB in last 5 overs
He walked in with momentum already built by Rajat Patidar and Devdutt Padikkal, but what followed was a textbook finishing role rarely executed this cleanly.
“Very pleased – it does not always happen that way. The skipper (Rajat Patidar, who scored 48 off 19 balls) was smoking it. And I just took some balls off him – it was super fun. Going in to bat with Jitesh (Sharma) and (Romario) Shepherd behind me really gives me confidence,” he added.
Patidar’s Big Call: “Best Finisher”
RCB captain Patidar didn’t hold back in his assessment:
“He (David) is a specialist, and one of the best finishers. He is consistent and one of the best finishers I have ever seen.”
That’s a strong statement in a league that has seen elite finishers like MS Dhoni dominate over the years. For RCB, finding a reliable finisher has historically been a missing piece. David may be changing that narrative.
Padikkal’s Selfless Admission
Padikkal, who scored a fluent 50 off 29, made an unusual but telling admission:
“I think at the strategic timeout as well, we knew that we had to keep going and it was an important phase from there on and I’m probably glad that I got out because the way Tim went from there, it was incredible,” he said.
This reflects a tactical shift in modern T20 batting where intent and match-ups dictate decision-making over personal milestones.
CSK’s Slide Continues
For CSK, led by Ruturaj Gaikwad, the defeat marked their third consecutive loss.
“If I would have contributed more, maybe it could have been different. It (the loss) was definitely on me today,” Gaikwad admitted.
“We still had the game in our hands till the 13-14th over (of the bowling innings but let momentum slip after it.”
Despite a fighting 50 from Sarfaraz Khan and late cameos, the chase never fully recovered from early wickets.
