India vs South Africa is perfectly set up for a mouth-watering clash between the No.1 and No.2 sides in the ongoing World Cup. While India are yet to taste a defeat in the tournament, South Africa had one hiccup – defeat vs Netherlands – in an otherwise dominating campaign which has seen them blow oppositions away.
November 5 could well decide who ends on top of the table before the semis get underway but David Miller, South Africa’s destructive middle-order batter, doesn’t want to look too far ahead. In an exclusive chat with CricketNext, the left-hander talks about the hunger in the side, lavishes praise on Quinton de Kock and explains why the game vs India is the “most important game" of their lives. Edited excerpts:
David, it has been a very successful campaign for you guys. So I’ll quickly ask what difference have you felt from the previous campaigns where South Africa played? Is there anything different you felt this time around?
I think every World Cup has a different kind of feel to the players and the squad but this particular World Cup we’ve been really clinical in our performances and the guys have been really hungry for success. For example, you know, Quinton de Kock has done really well but he’s been hungry for more hundreds and he’s got four hundreds already.
You know the bowlers… Keshav Maharaj has been super consistent, Marco Jansen upfront, getting the wickets upfront. So I think the hunger to do well and play for each other has definitely been a standout for me. And just taking game by game. I think you can sometimes get carried away at a World Cup. And you know, we’ve really taken stock of making sure that we’re prepared and ready for one game at a time.
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2015 was another memorable campaign where the team did well but was unable to go all the way. It was a fantastic side back then but the destructive middle-order has been the real difference this time around and they have delivered more often than not. Do you reckon that is the big difference from other sides – the way you bat in the middle overs?
Yeah, look, I think I mean, it’s hard to say because every team has a really good team and world-class players but just what we have kind of produced so far has been really good to see from the top six outside of the top seven because Jansen is batting at seven and he’s batting phenomenally well. So the guys have just kind of enjoyed each other’s success and batted around, you know, taking confidence from De Kock, Temba, Rassie, Reeza, upfront, those four guys and then Markram, Klassen and myself.
It makes it a lot easier for us to, to kind of come in and once the foundation has done really well. So yeah, I think the guys are in a really good space. It is a very destructive order. We are very experienced now and we’ve been playing for a long time together, which makes a big difference. We know what makes each other tick, and getting experience individually from everywhere around the world with all the leagues. You know, everyone has played around the world in certain leagues. So the experience is definitely there.
It has been a terrific campaign for South Africa with just one hiccup so far. In context of the World Cup, how much does this game vs India mean and how much confidence would you guys draw from doing well against a side like India before the knockouts begin?
Yeah, look, I think we we’ve done really well, so far, obviously, winning six from seven, we’ve put ourselves in a great position. We just need to, I think, win one more to completely qualify. But this game is a really big game for us. As I mentioned, we’re taking one game at a time and we’re not worrying about the future. And this becomes the most important game of our lives.
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So it’s just about, you know, making sure that we are in a good space. And we’re doing what we need to do. Yes, drawing confidence from certain players within the squad. And over time that’s definitely been evident. So really good space.
The clash against India is going to be a big one. They are yet to drop a game in the tournament. Yes, your IPL captain Hardik Pandya is out of the tournament due to injury but still they have looked like a very formidable unit. How much do their outings in the middle inspire an opposition like you? A word on India’s run in the World Cup so far?
Yeah, they’ve been playing phenomenal cricket, as I mentioned, I mean, they are top of the table seven from seven. And it is inspiring. You know, this game of cricket is a funny game. So kind of just got to stay on it all the way through. We’ve mentioned we’ve done really good, played really good cricket. But at the end of the day, all that is irrelevant right now.
The next game is against India tomorrow. So it’s great to see them doing really well and we’re really excited about the game. I think it’s going to be a great game, to watch. And obviously to play and be a part of so I think that the guys are up for it and really excited.
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Lastly, looking forward to facing your GT teammate Mohammed Shami, who has already picked 14 wickets from his first three games of the World Cup. You have seen him bowl from close quarters in the nets, so are you ready and excited to take him on?
Yeah, definitely. I mean, it’s, you know, the joys of playing international cricket you play against the best players in the world. You get challenged against the best batters and best bowlers in the world. So it’s always a good competition, playing against your teammates from the IPL. And yeah, I mean, he’s definitely a seriously good bowler. But tomorrow’s a new game so, you know, do what you need to do.
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