Proteas’ David Miller opens up on the harsh realities of the IPL
David Miller, a seasoned IPL ‘finisher’, shares insights on the challenges and joys of playing in the world’s top T20 tournament, emphasising the importance of adaptation and innovation. Picture: Indranil Mukherjee/AFP
Image: Indranil Mukherjee/AFP
As one of the most successful ‘finishers’ in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Proteas batsman David Miller has opened up about just how difficult it is to make it in the top T20 tournament in world cricket.
At 36, Miller is undoubtedly in the twilight of his career, but he is still producing the kind of performances that make him a valuable asset to any team.
Having joined the Lucknow Super Giants in 2025, Miller’s numbers are not earth-shattering this year, but a closer look reveals how important his exploits coming in at number six have been.
In his 11 knocks, he ended not out on six occasions, scoring 153 runs at an average of 30 and a strike rate of 127.
Having played for four different teams in the IPL, Miller is a veteran of 14 editions. In that time, Miller has scored 3077 runs, mostly down the order as a ‘finisher’.
Speaking to SportsBoom.co.za, Miller revealed the secret behind his longevity in the toughest cricket league in the world.
David Miller’s Challenges and Enjoyment in the IPL
“I think for me playing in the IPL, it’s really tough to be honest with you. There are obviously only four overseas players per team, and it can be challenging,” Miller saiD.
“For me, the great challenge out of the whole situation is you have to step up to the plate, end of chat."
“You have to perform, you have to put numbers on the board. That kind of brings the best out of a person or myself. For me, I really enjoy that aspect of the IPL.”
Miller’s Insights on Experience and Innovation
While the challenges of the IPL are well documented, it does get easier, explains Miller.
“The experience of playing for South Africa and going over to India and being able to play in India for so many years [has helped]."
“You start getting used to the conditions and being able to just adapt to that."
“I’ve been playing for a long time, so what works for me is not necessarily going to work for someone else. I look at a lot of the young guys nowadays, and they are pinging it at all parts of the ground and playing with extreme freedom and a completely different brand of cricket."
“From my experience, I can say in all aspects of all different formats, it’s about adapting and staying with the game. If not staying with the game, creating something new. So, for me, it’s just constantly looking at my game and how I can improve. So that’s pretty much it.”