Australia will play 3 T20Is against India starting September 20.
Former Australia opener Matthew Hayden lavished rich praise on big-hitter Tim David who had earned his maiden call-up to the Australia team for the India tour and the T20 World Cup 2022 which will be played down under.
Singapore-born David's impressive performance in the IPL 2022 for Mumbai Indians, where he accumulated 186 runs in 8 games at an astounding strike rate of 216.26, and his performances in T20 leagues around the world, have gotten him rich applause and he will make his debut for Kangaroos against India.
Matthew Hayden has touted him as a "massive X-Factor” which according to Hayden, the current Australian side lacks.
"Absolutely, I think he is a massive X-factor. He is a big, powerful young fellow who has got a power game. The challenge for him will be to show it for the team in yellow and green. Once you get to that international stage, it is a completely different ball game. You need to have that solid foundation behind you. But X-factor, yes 100 percent agree, " Hayden said in a press conference responding to an NDTV question.
"If you look at the Australian team, it is missing that X-factor at the moment to be honest. Form of Aaron Finch is questionable, you have some other great names that are also X-factors like Maxwell, he can play both orthodox and unorthodox shots. Tim David, nothing beats power in T20 cricket," he added.
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The legendary batter compared David to West Indies great Chris Gayle saying that the 26-year-old has the same “killer” instincts.
"If you look at the Australian team, it is missing that X-factor at the moment to be honest. Form of Aaron Finch is questionable, you have some other great names that are also X-factors like Maxwell, he can play both orthodox and unorthodox shots. Tim David, nothing beats power in T20 cricket,"
"Someone like Chris Gayle for example, in the shorter versions of the game, he was so dynamic and powerful. He would embarrass bowlers and that's what you need, that killer instinct. Tim David has got that in heaps and bounds," he said.
He then advised the Singapore-born cricketer on how to utilize the Indian conditions to his advantage.
"It just needs to be seen how he responds and especially in India, where that would be extra pressure on him. And one another factor also, Australian cricketers for a number of years now have almost tried too hard to play well against India. You don't have to need that, Tim David does not need to do that," he said.
"If he just sits back, relaxes, he can take the game away from anyone with his power. 20 overs goes like that, you need to have different skills to suit different phases of the match," he concluded.
The 1st T20I will be played on Tuesday (September 20) in Mohali.
(NDTV INPUTS)