Tim David’s IPL 2026 Availability in Doubt After BBL Hamstring Setback
Tim David is out of the rest of BBL 2025-26 with a hamstring injury but is expected to be fit for the T20 World Cup and IPL 2026.
Australia big-hitter Tim David has been ruled out of the remainder of the Big Bash League 2025-26 after suffering a Grade 2 right hamstring strain.
David picked up the injury on December 26 during Big Bash League match against Perth Scorchers, dealing a blow to Hobart Hurricanes midway through the season.
Scans later confirmed the Grade 2 strain, his second hamstring injury in 2025. Earlier this year, David had suffered a major strain during Indian Premier League 2025 while playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, which kept him out for nearly two months and ruled him out of the playoffs.
The Hurricanes confirmed that David has started his rehabilitation program, with both the club and Cricket Australia closely tracking his progress. In an official statement, the franchise said, “David’s rehabilitation timeline has him tracking to be available for selection for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.”
Medical guidance suggests a recovery window of four to six weeks for a Grade 2 hamstring strain. However, team sources acknowledge that setbacks can extend the timeline to around 12 weeks in some cases.
If things go as planned, David is expected to be fit in time for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which starts on February 7 and will be hosted in India and Sri Lanka. Australia see David as a key finisher, especially in tight chases, making his fitness a major talking point ahead of the tournament.
Even in a worst-case 12-week recovery scenario, David is still likely to return in time for IPL 2026, scheduled to begin in late March. That means RCB are unlikely to be without one of their most powerful middle-order batters for long.
For Hobart Hurricanes, though, his absence is immediate and costly. David has been central to their plans, and losing him for the rest of the BBL leaves a gap in both experience and firepower during the business end of the season.
Australia and RCB will now hope his rehab runs smoothly, with no repeat of the injury that has already troubled him twice in the same year.
