Tim David irks umpires, refuses to hand over ball during testing drama: ‘As a batter, you're not allowed to do that’

Tim David annoyed umpires after inspecting replacement ball during IPL 2026 match as Royal Challengers Bengaluru beat Mumbai Indians

Updated on: Apr 13, 2026, 08:36:05 IST

Written by Aratrick Mondal

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Royal Challengers Bengaluru batter Tim David left the on-field umpires visibly annoyed during their IPL 2026 clash against his former team, the Mumbai Indians, on Sunday at the Wankhede Stadium. The incident occurred during the first innings of the match, which RCB eventually won by 18 runs to climb to third place in the points table.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Tim David, front right, during IPL 2026 match between Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, in Mumbai (PTI)

The moment unfolded in the 18th over of RCB’s innings, shortly after David smashed a towering six off a delivery from Mumbai captain Hardik Pandya. The full toss on leg stump was dispatched over deep mid-wicket and into the stands. The sheer power of the hit meant the ball had to be replaced.

ALSO READ: Sunil Gavaskar fumes on-air at RCB time-wasting, blasts triple medical timeout: ‘Are we going to see this over again?’

As a fresh box of balls was brought out, David picked one up and began inspecting it. The umpires asked him to hand it over, but he briefly held on, continuing to toy with it, which appeared to irritate the officials. He eventually returned the ball, before engaging in a light-hearted exchange with Rohit Sharma.

Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra, who was on commentary at the time, weighed in on the incident. “As a batter, you aren’t allowed to do that. He cannot check the ball. And if the shape of the ball is a problem, it is because you hit it for a six,” he said.

RCB beat MI at Wankhede

After a loss to the Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati earlier in the week, RCB bounced back with a convincing win. Half-centuries from Virat Kohli, Phil Salt, and Rajat Patidar powered them to a formidable total.

In reply, Mumbai were restricted to 222 for five, despite a late flourish from Sherfane Rutherford, who remained unbeaten on 71 off 31 balls. However, the match had effectively slipped away earlier, with the hosts reduced to 154 for five in 15.3 overs.

Bengaluru now sit third in the standings with six points from four matches, while Mumbai languish in eighth place with just one win.

RCB next return home to the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, where they will face the Lucknow Super Giants on April 15.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Aratrick Mondal
Aratrick Mondal is a senior sports journalist based in New Delhi. In his eight years as a sports writer, Aratrick has worked at leading media organisations, including The Times of India, Times Now, Zee, India TV and currently works at a senior position at Hindustan Times Digital. He writes on cricket, football, pickleball and tennis, among other sports. He has extensively covered India's evolving cricket landscape, the country's new-found love for private leagues such as Indian Pickleball League (IPBL), Ultimate Kho Kho League (UKK), Rugby Premier League (RPL) and several tennis leagues. He has closely covered emerging sports such as pickleball. His coverage of major franchise events lends an atmospheric flavor to his ground reports. His recent story on how SA20 (the domestic cricket league of South Africa) had opened up its grounds to create a carnival-like fan experience garnered major international attention, including appreciation from major cricketers. Tennis holds a special place in his heart. Aratrick has built a strong niche in analytical tennis stories—ranging from Grand Slam narratives and player profiles to tactical breakdowns and ranking trends. His long-form features often decode grand slams, career highs and lows of tennis greats and the upward trajectory of emerging stars. He also closely follows India's tennis landscape, having covered the Davis Cup, Bengaluru Open and Tata Open, among others. His reporting is backed by strong data capabilities, with hands-on experience using tools like Python, Tableau, and Excel to produce visually rich, insight-led stories. This data-first approach enhances accuracy, transparency, and trust. In leadership roles, he has managed editorial shifts, overseen homepage strategy, optimised SEO workflows, and mentored peers to deliver consistent, high-traffic journalism. He recently won the HT DigiStar award for the third quarter of financial year 2025-26. Aratrick is trusted for his balanced reportage, sound sourcing, and ability to translate complex sporting events into engaging narratives that speak to a wide audience. He believes sports is for everyone, not just for the enthusiasts and has a unique ability to bring people together - just like the sumptuous meals you'll often find him cooking on a weekend evening.Read More

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