Cape Town - Proteas T20 captain Temba Bavuma is willing to have a “conversation” with David Miller in a bid to extract the best out of the big-hitting left-hander ahead of the upcoming five-match series against India.
Miller has just completed a sensational Indian Premier League season with the Gujarat Titans where he struck a career-best 481 runs at an average of 68.71 and 142.72 strike-rate in helping his new franchise to a maiden championship title.
The 32-year-old, who is currently the most capped member of the Proteas T20 side having played 95 matches dating back to 2010, has largely been underutilised at international level.
He performs the “finisher” role for the Proteas, but often his explosive striking is left in the dugout by the time the 20 overs have run out. Miller only batted three times and faced 33 balls at the last T20 World Cup where the Proteas failed to qualify for the semi-finals in the UAE.
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Bavuma stressed that Miller has always been “an integral” part of the Proteas T20 outfit and that he “understands where he fits in within the team”.
“David performed exceedingly well at the IPL and I'm sure that will do a world of good for his confidence,” Bavuma said at the Proteas departure media briefing on Tuesday.
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“I guess whatever feelings of insecurity that might be there, if there are those feelings within our team, you know, I guess one would need to have those conversations. In terms of the conversations that I've had with David, he's never expressed those types of feelings to me.
“And far I know, David is still an integral member within our team and we trust that his performances will continue well into the future in terms of him playing a bit longer. I think, you know, that's always been kind of the conversation over the years.
“David has done well. I think he kind of understands where he fits in within the team. But again, you know, if he feels that he can add more value within a different position than a conversation can be had. In that regard, there's no way that we're gonna stifle him or restrict David in any way or manner,” he added.
The Proteas face-off against India in the first T20I next Thursday on June 9 in Delhi.
Full India T20I series itinerary:
9 June: 1st T20I - Delhi
12 June: 2nd T20I - Cuttack
14 June: 3rd T20I - Vizag
17 June: 4th T20I - Rajkot
19 June: 5th T20I - Bengaluru
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