Australia’s explosive batter Tim David is on the road to recovery following a hamstring injury that sidelined him during the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL). The 29-year-old was a key figure in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s historic maiden IPL title win, but he missed the crucial playoff matches — including the final — due to the injury.
As he works on regaining full fitness, David has his sights set on returning to international cricket, specifically Australia’s upcoming T20I series against the West Indies, starting July 20.
No Immediate ODI Ambitions Despite Finisher Role Opening Up
With Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis stepping away from the One-Day International (ODI) format, many had expected David to step into the finisher’s role. However, he’s in no rush to make that switch.
“Definitely having conversations in the background with my coaches, and people that I want to talk to about my game,” David said in an interview on July 8, as reported by ESPNcricinfo. “I’m not too sure, to be honest. It’s not the immediate plan.”
David emphasized that 2025 is already packed with T20 assignments, including preparations for the T20 World Cup. With such a hectic schedule, ODI ambitions are on the backburner for now. “We’ve got so many T20 series that there’s not much time to think about much else,” he added.
The big-hitting batter last featured in a 50-over match during the ODI series against South Africa in 2023 and has since focused primarily on the T20 format.
Recovery From Injury Delays Return to Global Super League
David had initially planned to return to competitive cricket through the inaugural Global Super League (GSL) in the Caribbean, where he was set to represent the Hobart Hurricanes’ franchise. However, his recovery has taken longer than expected, forcing him to miss the tournament.
“Unfortunately, the injury and just the nature of it was going to be a pretty tight time schedule,” David explained. “I’ve probably got a couple of things that I need to tick off with the CA [Cricket Australia] guys when I get over to Jamaica before they’re fully comfortable, but I’m feeling confident.”
He’ll also skip The Hundred this year due to its scheduling conflict with Australia’s T20I series against South Africa, but he is expected to suit up for the St Lucia Kings in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) later in the year.
What’s Next for Tim David?
Despite the injury setback, David has already committed to two more seasons with the Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League and remains a central figure in Australia’s T20 setup. His focus is firmly on the shorter format, with a busy calendar of international T20 cricket ahead, including series against the West Indies and South Africa, all leading up to the 2026 T20 World Cup.
