Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Delhi Capitals head coach Hemang Badani has thrown his weight behind David Miller after the batter refused a single in the closing stages of the game against the Gujarat Titans, saying that the veteran left-handed batter took the right call for not taking a single on the penultimate ball despite it ending in a one-run defeat.
After being unable to take DC over the line against GT when they needed two runs off two balls earlier this month, Miller completed a redemption of sorts by smashing Romario Shepherd for two sixes and a four in the final over to help DC beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru by six wickets at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
"See, I think first and foremost we need to understand that he is somebody who has been around for a very, very long time. Yes, it is heartbreaking to lose a game like the one we lost against Gujarat. There was enough chatter about it through social media, on the news, on the telly, and even (by) the broadcasters.
“But the bottom line is that the player takes a call at some time. Sometimes you get the right call, sometimes you don't get the right call. I still believe that he has taken the right call. Contrary to what everyone else thinks, that is an opinion that I respect, and I understand that everyone has an opinion," Badani said in the pre-match press conference, ahead of DC taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad.
With 15 runs needed from the last over, Miller got the strike again when 13 runs were required off four balls and achieved it with great gusto, while sharing a match-winning 45-run partnership with Player of the Match Tristan Stubbs. "But to come out of that, I think he has shown character. I think the world sees that he is somebody who can finish games. He has done that in the past, and we believe in him.
“If you go back and see the visuals and the way we backed him even after that one run loss, the conversation from the captain to the coach, to the management, to the players was straightforward. It is absolutely okay, it can happen, and we trust in you, and he has literally shown us the faith within two games," added Badani.
Speaking on batting consistency and the demands of T20 cricket, Badani said, "If I have to answer this in a nutshell, this format does not rely on consistency. It relies on impact, seizing the moment, and stepping up when it really matters, and I think we have done that.
“Even if you speak of the couple of losses that we have had, one, I think the whole world knows that with that Miller one run, things could have been very different. The other game was the only game that we spoke of, the one that is against CSK.
“If anybody were to win four out of five games, I don't think any side would be worried about it. I think it is more about the process that we have followed. I think we have consistently stuck to the process. Results will come or not come. But we are happy with the way we are going," he added.
On Sameer Rizvi’s recent performances, especially after he had a blip post two match-winning knocks in as many chases, Badani said, "He is in a great space. I mean, this format, if somebody has won you two games single-handedly, he has actually got three Man-of-the-Match awards from last year. I don't think many of you would remember that the last game that he played for us was a man-of-the-match.
“If anybody were to win four out of five games, I don't think any side would be worried about it. I think it is more about the process that we have followed. I think we have consistently stuck to the process. Results will come or not come. But we are happy with the way we are going," he added.
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On Axar Patel’s fitness, especially after he retired hurt due to cramps in Bengaluru, Badani said: "All good. He is fit to play." Asked about Stubbs’ recent performances, he signed off by saying, "Zero conversation. Pretty happy with the way he has gone by."