Mumbai Indians' Tim David said sitting out after playing initial matches of IPL 2022 gave him a chance to train hard and adjust to the conditions of the tournament. Since being brought back into the playing eleven against Rajasthan Royals on April 30, David left his impact as a finisher with 44 not out against Gujarat Titans and has kept his place in the eleven. "I was sitting out after the first couple of games, and I guess during that period, it was an opportunity for me to train really hard and do as much work as I can in the nets, in the gym, bowling, all stuff like that. It was an opportunity to get used to the conditions, and see how other teams are stacking up, what is effective in these conditions in the IPL. So that was a good period for me to work really hard and get ready to come back into the team when that opportunity came," said David in the pre-match virtual press conference.
What also helped David was picking his captain Rohit Sharma's brain on excelling in Indian conditions. "Obviously, Rohit's played a lot of cricket, so it's about trying to gain some of his experiences, staying calm, things that work in Indian conditions, and how we want to play as a team together. It's been a good experience to share the dressing room with him, and hopefully it can continue." In the last 12 months, David has made a name for himself in franchise T20 cricket with his power-hitting skills, especially against the pacers. Asked about his mantra for success in power-hitting, a smiling David explained, "I spend a lot of my time in the nets trying to hit sixes. I think it's about putting pressure on the bowler and recognising the right situations for when you can try that in a game. There might be different pitches, or grounds that suit power-hitting off particular bowlers."
"You've got to pick those moments, and also you've got to be aware that it's not going to come off all the time, and batting in the middle-order can be risky. I think it's about maintaining your confidence through the season and trusting your ability, which you can get through training. Lots of practice. Make sure you're hitting the ball well, and you can just take that into the game." David further stressed on the importance of having clarity in the mind while going out to bat. "You do all your work outside the game: in the nets, in the gym to make sure you're feeling strong and you are hitting the ball well. And then once it's in the game, it's all mental.
I think it's the same for all batters, you've got to go in with a clear mind." "If you don't, if you're carrying things into the game, you can get a patchy performance. So it's about trying to get into that state where you can try and be as consistent as possible mentally. And then if you trust your process, and stick to it, then that will most often bring the best results." Though Mumbai are out of contention for the playoffs, the group is in good spirits ahead of their match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Tuesday, according to David. "Kind of felt like the season didn't really start for us till we got that first win. Since then we've played some really good cricket. We've won three of our last four games and there's been a good feeling in the team."