David fills Mumbai's 'big shoes' with crowning moment

Tim David is the last person who needs to be reminded he has "big shoes to fill", as Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma put it after the Australian's finest Indian Premier League performance to date.

Asked if David could be Mumbai's "next Kieron Pollard", Rohit was wary: "'Polly' has done it for so many years and we have won so many championships with his performances."

Even in retirement, Pollard's legacy looms large over the competition's most successful franchise, whose five titles all came with the power-hitter in their XI. The Trinidadian called time on his IPL career last year after his 13th season (all with Mumbai) but has been retained as their batting coach.

The A$3.15 million price tag for Cameron Green, dwarfing the $1.53m David went for 12 months earlier but which at the time made him the highest-paid Australian in the IPL, has put the focus squarely on the Test allrounder this season.

But it is Mumbai's other Western Australian big hitter who admits he has felt the heat.

"Last year was my first year of the IPL and I was hungry to make a name for myself and establish myself in the team. That can be a flawed concept," said David.

"Anything I do now is for the team. That's been my theme for the year so far, and take some of the focus off my own performance."

David nonetheless conceded he has been "hungry" to be the one responsible for lifting Mumbai over the line like Pollard, whose game David has partially modelled his own on, did so many times.

Image Id: 8AE31917D3C044DC9598504ED11A5779 Image Caption: Pollard and David played together for Mumbai during the 2022 season // BCCI/IPL

Green (44 off 26 balls) and Suryakumar Yadav (55 off 29) played blinders last night against Rajasthan Royals, but Mumbai, needing more runs than any chasing team had ever made in an IPL match at the Wankhede Stadium, still needed 61 off 26 when David arrived at the crease.

Two sixes in his favoured arc between long-on and mid-wicket, along with a pair of bullets to the fence through cover, left him on strike for the final over with 17 required.

Some may suggest Jason Holder's inability to hit the pitch for what proved the final three deliveries of the game gift-wrapped David's task.

What may be overlooked was how David managed to muscle Holder's first ball – a low full toss – for six over long off.

Unlike the ensuing deliveries, Holder had not missed his mark by much. With the pressure on, many would have struggled to generate the necessary power and elevation to lift the attempted wide yorker over the rope.

"I've been putting some really hard work on the training field. I'm grateful for the support from the support staff and Polly is there, a big part of it," said David.

"A lot of conversations and then just trying to relax and enjoy the games.

"I'm working as hard as ever on that (power hitting). I'm trying to develop to become a more rounded player.

"It was a little bit sweaty, so I was getting down out of the crease and trying to close the angle down and just react to wherever the ball is bowled. At that point, it just had to be good shots and try and hit the middle of the bat."

David made a long-awaited appearance in Australian colours last year in the lead-in to the T20 World Cup and few debutants have come into that side as fully-formed as the right-hander.

Propelled onto the global T20 franchise circuit after shining for the Hobart Hurricanes, David's career has been enhanced further in the IPL after Mumbai went all in on the finisher at last year's auction.

The fickle life of an overseas player at the tournament was spelt out to David early – he was dropped after just two games – but he delivered on the investment by finishing the tournament with a strike-rate of 216.27, the highest ever recorded in a single IPL season.

But Sunday evening was his crowning moment.

"For me personally it was about trying to stay quite level because I've been really hungry to finish off a game like that," said David, who now has 170 runs at a strike-rate of 170 this IPL campaign.

"It plays on your mind because you want to do it … I've been waiting for my chance and I'm really pleased I took it."

Aussies in IPL 2023

Delhi Capitals: Mitch Marsh ($1.2m), David Warner ($1.16m)

Gujarat Titans: Matthew Wade ($446,000)

Lucknow Super Giants: Marcus Stoinis ($1.7m), Daniel Sams ($135,000)

Mumbai Indians: Tim David ($1.53m), Cameron Green ($3.15m), Jason Behrendorff ($135,000), Riley Meredith ($272,000)

Punjab Kings: Nathan Ellis ($135,000), Matt Short ($36,000)

Rajasthan Royals: Adam Zampa ($270,000)

Royal Challengers Bangalore: Josh Hazlewood ($1.4m), Glenn Maxwell ($2m)

Figures represent auction price in Australian dollars at time of sale