‘One of the best finishers I’ve ever seen’: RCB skipper Patidar hails Tim David after win over CSK

BENGALURU: Following his side’s thumping win over Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper Rajat Patidar hailed big-hitting Tim David for his finishing abilities, terming him as “one of the best finishers he has ever seen”.

CSK’s woes continued as they suffered their third successive loss of the season and their fourth straight loss to RCB since the 2024 season. With legendary MS Dhoni on the sidelines due to a calf strain, nothing is going right for the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side. Despite a massive trade with the Rajasthan Royals (RR) to bring in Sanju Samson ahead of the season and recent investment in young talent, the first signs of life after Dhoni do not offer a lot of promise.

Speaking during the post-match, Patidar said, “It feels great, but at the same time, if you play good cricket and give a lot of satisfaction among the team. I think initially the ball was stopping a bit. The way Phil and Virat bhai played their innings, I think that was super. And after that, the way the team changed the way, I think I enjoyed a lot of sixes from the dugouts and from the non-striker end”.

A strike rate of 280 with 8⃣ sixes

Tim David claims the Player of the Match award for his brutal knock

WATCH HIS KNOCK https://t.co/CZJrwpv45d#TATAIPL | #KhelBindaas | #RCBvCSK | @rcbtweets pic.twitter.com/yrLkIpZ79S

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 5, 2026

Patidar said that when he is out on the crease, the mindset is to put pressure on the bowler, which he rightfully did with a 19-ball 48*, consisting of a four and six sixes and his 35-ball 99* run stand with David, who rocked CSK in the final few overs with a stunning 25-ball 70*, including three fours and eight sixes.

Speaking on Tim’s finishing abilities during the death overs phase, Patidar said, “He is a specialist, and he is one of the best finishers, I would say. And I think I enjoyed it a lot. And he has done it last year also. I think he is more sense to sense, if you say, the best finisher and the most consistent throughout the game and one of the best finishers I have ever seen.”

He also hailed Krunal Pandya’s spell of 2/36 in four overs, which yielded wickets of half-century Sarfaraz Khan and Kartik Sharma, saying that whenever he felt pressure, he would go to Krunal. “I think whenever I came under pressure, I always looked to KP. Where is KP? I have that much belief in him,” he added.

“And in the death overs, the way Bhuvi (Bhuvneshwar Kumar) and Abhinandan (Singh) bowled those yorkers, I think great to watch. And in between Romario (Shepherd), the way he came in the team in the meantime and gave that one over, I think that was wonderful team effort from our boys. The way Suyash came and bowled those beautiful four overs, I think that was great,” he signed off praising rest of the team.

RCB posted a massive 250/3 after being put to bat first during their clash with five-time champions CSK at their home venue. Put to field first, Virat Kohli (28 in 18 balls, with two fours and a six) and Phil Salt (46 in 30 balls, with three fours and two sixes) could not capitalise on their starts, but massive bursts of aggression from Padikkal (50 in 29 balls, with six fours and two sixes), Patidar (48* in 19 balls, with a four and six sixes) and David (70* in 25 balls, with three fours and eight sixes) guided RCB to a massive score.

During the chase, CSK was restricted to 30/3. A 25-ball 50 from Sarfaraz Khan (with eight fours and two sixes) and a 57-run stand between Prashant Veer (43 in 29 balls, with six fours and six) and Jamie Overton (37 in 16 balls, with four boundaries and two sixes) were a few moments of fight offered by CSK, who folded for 207 in 19.4 overs.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar (3/41 in four overs) was the pick of the bowlers, becoming the second bowler to get 200 IPL wickets. Krunal, Abhinandan and Jacob Duffy also picked two wickets. (ANI)