“We’re going in with a clear game plan,” said South African middle-order batter, David Miller, in an address to the media three days ahead of South Africa’s World Cup opener against Australia. 

Miller, with his extensive experience of representing South Africa in ICC tournaments, has suggested that “making the most of the opportunity and having fun while you do it” will go a long way in helping South Africa have a productive tournament. 

Given South Africa’s underwhelming record at ICC tournaments, the debate around the excess “baggage” that South Africa always seem to carry tends to surface in the buildup to the tournament. Miller appeared to be quite unfazed, and explained using wisdom discharged by Hashim Amla, “You’re only as good as your next game.” In addition to preparation, Miller believes it is vital for the team to “control your present.” “It’s a difficult one to win a World Cup. Only one team can win,” Miller pointed out. 

Since South Africa’s tour of the West Indies, Miller finds that there has been a sense of clarity with respect to the roles each individual is expected to play. “We’ve had a relatively set squad for the last couple of months.” As one of the senior players in the squad with plenty of experience of playing in the UAE, including the recently-concluded IPL, Miller is a part of the leadership group and has shared his knowledge of the conditions in the IPL, as well as previous tours of the UAE. 

Miller has been tasked with the role of a finisher in this South African team. “I’ve taken on the role of finishing for a couple of years now,” he said. However, Miller emphasized the need to be flexible based on the match situation. In this tournament, Miller observed that the Proteas have adopted a more flexible approach. “We’ve got an open mindset, in terms of flexibility.”

Miller concluded by reiterating Hashim Amla’s influence on the team. Apart from “getting the job done” on the field, it is equally important to be “consistent as a person off the field.”