'I was nervous to be honest' - David Miller credits GT skipper Hardik Pandya for settling his nerves in Qualifier 1

David Miller was at his destructive best on Tuesday (May 24) as Gujarat Titans became the first team to secure a place in IPL 2022 final. GT had to chase down 189 for victory and that too against a potent Rajasthan Royals bowling attack. However, Miller stepped up in the all-important match and took his side over the line. Coming to bat at number five, the southpaw was watchful early on.

However, once the South African international got his feet settled, the ball was flying all over the park. He ended up scoring an unbeaten 68 off 38 deliveries as the Titans crossed the line with three balls to spare, clinching Qualifier 1 by seven wickets. Following the conclusion of the game, Miller revealed that he was nervous early on and skipper Hardik Pandya helped him.

Notably, Miller and Hardik shared an unbeaten stand of 106 runs to help their side cross the line. The latter, who scored 40 off 27 balls, was initially the aggressor in the partnership but took the backseat once Miller got going. The South African international was mighty pleased with his performance as he hailed Hardik’s cool and calm demeanour.

Hardik Pandya is a pretty cool, calm and collected bloke: David Miller

“I was a little bit nervous to be honest. But Hardik kept saying that let’s play good cricket shots and keep hitting the ball in the gaps. As you saw that he wasn’t running too fast. For me, I enjoy my running between the wickets pretty hard, I mean it ended up working out pretty well,” Miller told Star Sports.

“Hardik is a pretty cool, calm and collected bloke and he was pretty chilled about the chase,” he added. Meanwhile, the 32-year-old also thanked the GT team management for giving him constant opportunities throughout this season.

“I think opportunity, firstly (what’s changed?). I’ve been given a role, I felt extremely backed from the outset. My personal game – I’m enjoying my role, I’ve been playing for many years now. Understanding my game a lot better,” Miller stated further.