"You can't have a rule as stupid as that!"- Brad Hogg appeals to Cricket Australia to get Tim David into T20 World Cup squad
Former Australian cricketer Brad Hogg believes that the hard-hitting Tim David should be a certain starter in the playing XI of the defending champions for the 2022 T20 World Cup Down Under.
The 26-year-old has shown what he is capable of in T20 leagues around the world as well as for Singapore in international cricket. He also had an incredibly impactful IPL 2022 season with the bat. Yet, Australia didn't pick Tim David in the T20I squad for the series against Sri Lanka.
Speaking in a video on his YouTube channel, Brad Hogg explained why Australia cannot afford to leave out a match-winner like David. He said:
"You bring Smith up from the lower order and open the batting with him. Stoinis comes up at No.5 and Tim David comes in at No.6. Tim David, for me around the globe, is the best No.6 that you can have. He is the only player that consistently comes in in the final four overs and finds the boundary straightaway. It is a unique talent to have and Australia have got to utilize it."
Brad Hogg also shed light on Cricket Australia's questionable rule that is stopping David from being a part of the T20I squad. He added:
"The other issue, Australia have a rule that if you're not contracted with a first-class state team to represent Australia in T20Is. He doesn't have that contract. Australia have got to change that rule. You can't have a rule as stupid as that, keeping a player like him out."
42 (26) & 1/22 (2) 👏
An all-round show by तोडफोड David helped @lancscricket chase down 154 in a thrilling two-wicket win last night in the @VitalityBlast 😍
#OneFamily @timdavid8 https://t.co/0A2MqhbZFv
Tim David can come in place of Aaron Finch: Brad Hogg
Despite winning the 2021 T20 World Cup as captain, Brad Hogg believes Aaron Finch is in grave danger of missing out on the showpiece event later this year. The Australian white-ball skipper's form with the bat has been nothing short of disappointing and all eyes might be on him when he takes on Sri Lanka.
Hogg stated that in a mega event like the T20 World Cup, the defending champions cannot afford to 'carry' Finch if he isn't in form. On this, he said:
"If you look at the team in the final of the last T20 World Cup, I think Tim David can come in and replace Aaron Finch. Aaron Finch has been out of form for a long period of time and its unsustainable to keep him in. He has got to change that very quickly or he has got to be out of the team. You can't carry players when you're coming to a T20 World Cup. Finch is on notice."
It will be interesting to see if Cricket Australia can give David a state team's contract or whether they can change their criteria to fit him in Australia's T20 World Cup squad.