'The last two-three-four years I have been playing really nice cricket, feeling positive and I have been scoring nice personally, back at home, overseas, and so on, unfortunately the last four-five years, I haven't really played as much IPL cricket as I would have liked to.'
Having propelled Gujarat Titans to an unbelievable win with his explosive knock, David Miller on Sunday said Rashid Khan's batting in the 18th over turned the IPL game against Chennai Super Kings in his team's favour.
Miller smashed an unbeaten 51-ball 94, while stand-in skipper Rashid hit 40 in 21 deliveries to script GT's incredible win after they were reeling at 48 for four in the eighth over.
Needing 48 in the last three overs, Rashid smashed Chris Jordan for three sixes and a four to collect 25 runs and bring the equation down to 23 from 12 balls.
"Exceptional over, in my opinion that over was the game-changer and he struck it beautifully," Man of the Match Miller said of Rashid's batting at the post-match presentation ceremony.
Referring to his epic century for the Kings XI Punjab franchise which is now called Punjab Kings, the big-hitting Miller said he was looking to express himself in the middle.
"I have been really working hard on my fitness. It does take me back to memory lane, it was sort of play my game, see ball hit ball, with the rate already quite high, I wanted to express myself.
"It came off tonight and pretty chuffed with the innings. Getting in with the position at 16/3 gives me an opportunity to shine, doesn't happen too often but when the ball was new it helps. Releases a lot of pressure, needed someone to help out at the back end," Miller said, adding that luck too smiled on his side in the ongoing campaign.
"First couple of games we played we won close games. This is a close game too. We could've lost 4 out of 6, but instead have won 5 out of 6. Want to keep the gentle strokes coming," Miller said.
Miller, who was not a sure starter in the playing eleven for his previous two IPL teams, is loving being "100 percent backed" by Gujarat Titans.
Miller smashed a 51-ball 94 to help Gujarat Titans pull off an incredible come-from-behind three-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings on Sunday.
The South African played a game-changing knock in the IPL after a long time.
"The last two-three-four years I have been playing really nice cricket, feeling positive and I have been scoring nice personally, back at home, overseas, and so on, unfortunately the last four-five years, I haven't really played as much IPL cricket as I would have liked to," he said at the post-match media interaction.
"... the nature of the game, tournament (is such that) there are only four overseas (players) and other overseas players are always going to miss out and I sort of found myself in between a place where I have been in and out of Kings XI (Punjab Kings) and then Rajasthan.
“I played some decent games there but I felt like I couldn't get going and it has been encouraging to be part of Gujarat Titans and just know I am 100 per cent backed, and have a really nice environment, enjoy each other's success, that goes a long way in doing well, but more importantly it is nice to play every game."
He started the innings pretty well and did not want to stop after that.
“Yes, I mean we were obviously in a little bit of trouble, but I still thought, if we batted 20 overs, we still had some sort of chance and you never know if you were sitting on the sideline.
"So, I just wanted to try and play my game, the way I started my innings, I thought I started pretty well and I didn't want to stop, I wanted to keep going,” Miller said.
Gujarat were reeling at 87/5 in pursuit of 170, but then Miller and stand-in-captain Rashid Khan joined forces as they added match-winning 70 runs for the sixth wicket.
“The (run) rate was already at 9 or 10 when I came in; it had gone up pretty quickly. I mean at the end of the day, I cannot control what sort of the other batters do and at that time, whoever was batting with me, I just wanted to try and build something with him and see where it goes,” added Miller, when asked what his mindset was when the team was five down.
Miller said that the plan to attack CSK spinners worked and they were forced to bowl the pacers.
“They had three spinners and I thought if they bowl well, they are definitely bowl all the overs towards me, and then try and change up the pace bowlers and work it around, but the fact that we took them (spinners) on early on, they were forced to bowl the pace bowlers and that was pretty much the plan,” he added.
