IPL team ‘really upset’ after being told Miller can’t play opening match

Experienced batter David Miller has revealed his Indian Premier League (IPL) team, the Gujarat Titans, have been angered by his unavailability for their opening match of this year’s popular T20 competition.

While the Titans are scheduled to face the Chennai Super Kings on 31 March, Miller will miss that game, with Cricket South Africa enforcing a new rule in national player contracts which will ensure he turns out for the SA team in two matches against the Netherlands.

‘A bit disappointed’

“They were really upset. I mean, it’s always a big thing playing in Ahmedabad in the opening game, so I’m a bit disappointed to be missing that,” Miller said after returning home this week from the Pakistan Super League, which caused him to miss the first two matches of the Proteas’ ongoing ODI series against the West Indies.

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“So I’m going to be missing one (IPL) game, but whether someone is disappointed or not, I suppose the process has taken place.”

‘A huge honour’

Though his IPL team were not pleased, however, Miller said he was eager to turn out for the national side in crucial matches against the Netherlands, which they must win to earn automatic qualification for the World Cup in India later this year.

“To put on the green and gold will always be a huge honour and privilege for me,” he said, “and we’ve got some work to do in those two games against Netherlands, so I think having the best squad we can pick is definitely the way forward.”