australia cricket

Why Australia Should Give Tim David Another Go in ODIs After T20I Promotion With Sights on World Cup 2027

Aditya Ighe

Last updated: August 25, 2025

4 min read

The Australian cricket team is currently going through a transition phase in ODIs. Former skipper Steven Smith and all-rounder Glenn Maxwell announced their retirements from the 50-over format before the Champions Trophy (CT) 2025, despite being named in the squad. Their departures have left a significant void that Australia are aiming to fill ahead of the ODI World Cup 2027. Tim David could be the answer to all their problems.

Void left by Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, and Marcus Stoinis retirements

In the recently concluded ODI series against South Africa at home, Cameron Green batted at No.3 and has nearly solidified his case with the second-fastest ODI hundred by an Australian. Green finished the series as the third leading run-getter of the series with 156 runs at a staggering average of 78, striking at 133.33. He was exceptional in the T20I series against West Indies as well, where he batted at the same position. The right-hand batter had amassed 205 runs in five matches, averaging a whopping 68.33 at a strike rate of 164.

Australia had to change its plans after Mitch Owen and Matthew Short were ruled out of the ODI series due to injuries. The new number six or seven, who often need to bat with higher strike rates, couldn’t provide a similar confidence. The hosts tried keeper-batter Alex Carey and seam bowling all-rounder Aaron Hardie at numbers six and seven, respectively, who had miserable outings as batters. While Carey managed just 13 runs across two innings, averaging 6.50 at a strike rate of 61.90, Hardie scored 14 runs at a 53.84 strike rate, averaging a mere seven. This shows the vacuum after the retirements of key players.

ALSO READ:

Why Australia Should Try Tim David in ODIs

The move to bring in Tim David in the ODI setup could be a game-changer. David has been a consistent performer for the Kangaroos and is currently enjoying a dream run in T20I cricket. He is mainly known for his power-hitting and match-finishing abilities in the shortest format. Australia are looking for the same in ODI cricket, and the inclusion of David could be a smart move towards it. David, who moved to Australia from Singapore, has played four ODI matches in 2023, where he failed to capitalise. He is currently in the form of his life and could be trusted for at least one series.

David boasts a huge experience of playing in different conditions and on different surfaces. He has played in most franchise tournaments across the globe, including the Indian Premier League (IPL), Major League Cricket (MLC), Caribbean Premier League (CPL), International League T20 (ILT20), Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Big Bash League (BBL), The Hundred Men’s, Pakistan Super League (PSL), SA20, and T20 Blast.

With India scheduled to tour for the three-match ODI series in October, Australia can have a look at Tim David as a replacement for Glenn Maxwell or Marcus Stoinis as a finisher. Moreover, he can roll his arm over, and he has already taken five wickets in T20Is and one in ODIs.

Tim David – The Finisher

The 29-year-old has been batting at No.6 in the T20Is and in the franchise leagues. He was recently promoted to No.5 and then to No.4 in the T20Is. Batting at No.5, David smashed the 37-ball hundred against the West Indies, the fastest by an Australian. With that century, David also became the first Australian to score a hundred while batting at No.5 or lower. He was the second leading run-getter of the T20I series against the Proteas with 150 runs, including two fifties. The batter had scored 132 runs in just two innings at a strike rate of 269.38.

His performances at No.5 in the shortest format are also exceptional. He has 319 runs to his name in nine innings, averaging 53.16 at a strike rate of 180.22. At No.6, he has amassed 544 runs in 27 innings, including two fifties, averaging 28.63 and striking at 172.69. This showcases his ability to hit boundaries at will and change the moment to his side’s favour. Hence, Tim David could be the answer for Australia’s lower-order conundrum.