NEW DELHI, Apr 23: South Africa and Gujarat Titans’ middle-order batter David Miller doesn’t expect too many high-scoring matches in the upcoming T20 World Cup in the Americas as he feels the pitches there will be on the slower side.
Favourable conditions and the much-debated ‘Impact Player’ rule have helped batters rule the roost in the ongoing IPL, with teams such as Sunrisers Hyderabad piling up scores in excess of 260 on three occasions.
But Miller feels it won’t be the same in the T20 World Cup, to be held in the United States and West Indies from June 2.
“It would be hard to say whether the World Cup will produce high-scoring games because the conditions will be very different. The Caribbean might be on the slower side compared to Indian wickets. It’s all about assessing the conditions on the day and playing accordingly,” Miller said on the eve of their match against Delhi Capitals here.
“We are not concerned about that (crossing 200-run mark). We played Sunrisers, we beat them. I think it’s different conditions for different grounds. At the end of the day we have 4 wins from 8, so we are very much there.
“We don’t want to get caught up in what other teams are doing. We are sticking to our strength,” he added.
India captain Rohit Sharma has made it clear that he is not a big fan of the ‘Impact Player’ rule as it is hampering the growth of all-rounders. A few other top players, including Miller, have also voiced their opposition to the rule.
The ‘Impact Player’ rule, introduced in 2023, allows all IPL teams to substitute a player — batter or bowler — during their respective innings as per the demands of the match.
“Everyone has got their opinions about it but for me I am not a massive fan of the rule. The game of cricket has 11 players and it would be nice to stick to that. Rohit said that international cricket is not like that and I feel it’s better to keep it the same as international cricket.
“It’s creating 6 bowlers and 8 batters, taking all-rounders out of contention. At the end of the rule is there so we have to play according to the rule,” he said.
With four wins and four defeats from eight games, GT are currently placed sixth in the standings, and remain in the mix for a play-off berth.
While skipper Shubman Gill has been in fine form at the top of the order, the middle-order remains a concern for GT, something which Miller denied.
“I don’t think there is any issue with the middle-order. Obviously, you have got the impact player which makes a big difference. I think we have done what we needed to do.
“I was injured for few games, came back but haven’t really scored much in the last game, but that’s part of the game,” he said.
“As a team there have been some close games that we won and also one or two close games that we lost. I think it’s just about getting back to basics, feeding off each other, getting good partnerships. We just need a little bit more fight.
“We win the next few games and we are really in the mix, so it’s very important.”
Miller also had words of appreciation for Gill the leader.
“Shubman is young and an incredible player and I’m really looking forward to see how his career unfolds. I really enjoyed what he has added to the team as captain. I feel each player has their unique way of leading.
“He has performed really well with the bat. It’s been nice to have someone performing and leading from that sense. It’s been really a nice transition,” he said. (PTI)
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