By Admin 
When Tim David is at the crease, conventional wisdom is to allow him maximum strike. But it seems Romario Shepherd is quite an independent thinker and believes in something different.
At the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium against Chennai Super Kings, the West Indian took strike at the fag end of the 18th over with Royal Challengers Bengaluru stuttering. He faced 14 deliveries (including a no-ball), clubbed 10 of those beyond the boundary and walked back triumphantly after scoring the joint second-fastest IPL half-century.
The effort, which set up RCB’s nerve-wracking two-run win, was Shepherd’s first outing as a batter in four games this season, and he ended up becoming the first batter coming in after the 15th over to make an IPL fifty. David, who was in the middle for a little over four overs, faced all of three deliveries.
“When I walked in, Timmy [Tim David] told me to relax and just to hold my shape because the ball was gripping,” Shepherd said after the match. “So, my mindset automatically changed to just base up, watch the ball and not try and swing too early. They [CSK] mis-executed some of the plans, so I capitalised.”
Shepherd isn’t new to such short bursts of manic hitting and telling impact. In 2024, playing for Mumbai Indians, he smashed an unbeaten 39 off 10 balls against Delhi Capitals, including 32 runs off one Anrich Nortje over, just like the 32 he forced Khaleel Ahmed to swallow on Saturday.
“When I hit the first two [for sixes vs. Khaleel], I knew I had the bowler under pressure,” Shepherd said. “I saw his body language, and I was like, ‘okay, let me try and put you under some more pressure.’ I continued going and then I saw him, he was kind of confused. I knew I had him.”
Oddly, Shepherd had only played 10 IPL matches across three teams prior to this campaign. But after Saturday, he will be incredibly difficult to leave out.
Published – May 04, 2025 07:04 pm IST