Wicketkeeping great Gilchrist led Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League (IPL) at a time Miller was drafted in the side in 2011.
South African batsman David Miller (Photo: Sandeep Mahankal/IANS)
Hard-hitting South African batsman David Miller has said it was like a dream come true for him when he got to play under Australian legend Adam Gilchrist whom he has grown up watching.
Wicketkeeping great Gilchrist led Kings XI Punjab in the Indian Premier League (IPL) at a time Miller was drafted in the side in 2011.
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“Adam Gilchrist was the captain at that time, growing up I always looked up to him and Matthew Hayden, I watched Australia play at 3 am in the morning, Gilchrist was captaining me, we had a lot of greats in our side, so it was a dream for me,” Miller, 30, said during an Instagram Live session with former Zimbabwe pacer-turned-commentator Pommie Mbangwa.
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“In my first year, I did not get a single game at the IPL. Halfway through my second year, I got three games and then in my third year, Adam Gilchrist was retiring, he actually pulled his both hamstrings, I then got a game and that’s when I played my 101 run (unbeaten) knock against RCB,” Miller said.
The white-ball specialist left-hander also revealed that an injury to England pacer Stuart Broad brought him to the IPL for the first time.
“The first year, I went into the auction and I did not get picked. Literally 10 days before the IPL, I got a call from Kings XI Punjab and they said we are selecting you and you need to come over as soon as possible, there was an injury to Stuart Broad so I packed my bags and I went to India.
“That’s where it all started. It was an incredible journey, firstly it was a just a one-year deal, but then they retained me for the next two years at my base price. The first three years of mine at IPL were incredible,” Miller said.
In 79 matches, Miller scored 1850 runs at 34.26 and a strike-rate of 138.78 in the IPL. He was released by Kings XI before last year’s auction.
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