David Miller is finding it tough to be on the sidelines right now. One of the most respected T20 hitters in the world, the batter has been left out of Delhi Capitals\u2019 playing XI for the last two matches as the franchise has leaned into a specific team combination. In those games, Delhi has gone with Pathum Nissanka at the top, while Mitchell Starc\u2014arriving late alongside Lungi Ngidi\u2014has been brought into the mix. Miller, speaking a day before Delhi\u2019s next IPL 2026 outing against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at home in Delhi on Friday, admitted the wait has been frustrating.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously it is frustrating,\u201d Miller said. \u201cYou always want to play every game, but such is the IPL\u2014because there are only four overseas players allowed in the XI, the balance and combinations become really important for the team. I\u2019ve been around, this isn\u2019t my first IPL, so I understand how it works. For me, it\u2019s about staying upbeat, offering positive feedback to the group, and contributing in any way I can to the side.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added that the key now is readiness rather than regret. \u201cAnd then it\u2019s just waiting for my chance to come again\u2014whether it comes for the rest of the season or not. I want to stay prepared, work hard in training, and be ready to deliver, because that\u2019s what players like to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
Miller\u2019s IPL journey has been long and consistent. He has appeared in every season since 2012, producing plenty of memorable stretches along the way. From 2013 to 2015, for instance, he posted 418, 446 and 357 runs while striking at strong rates. But there have also been leaner phases, including the most recent one. In that campaign, Miller managed 123 runs across seven innings, with a strike rate of 146.42. He remained unbeaten four times, and his most eye-catching score was a 41 not out off 20 balls against Gujarat Titans (GT) in early April\u2014an effort that still stands out, even if the moment is remembered for a strange twist.<\/p>\n
That innings came during a period when Delhi were struggling collectively. The result of that spell was part of a wider run that saw the Capitals suffer six defeats in ten matches, leaving them placed seventh in the points table.<\/p>\n
With qualification now hanging on results, Miller stressed the urgency. \u201cWe need to win\u2014four from four, basically,\u201d he said. \u201cThat\u2019s pretty much what we require to have a real chance of getting through. So it becomes very important. And sure, it\u2019s not easy. Obviously we don\u2019t go out there to lose. We\u2019ve definitely had team debriefs and discussed a few things. I don\u2019t think we\u2019ve been playing poor cricket at all. We\u2019ve been playing really good cricket, but there are moments in games where we\u2019ve let ourselves down in certain areas.\u201d<\/p>\n
He pointed to the pattern rather than a single failing. \u201cIt\u2019s not one particular area every time\u2014more like little phases here and there. When the opposition is strong and competitive, you have to be on your game throughout because any team can beat anyone. Whether you\u2019re at the bottom or at the top, the league is highly competitive.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of Delhi\u2019s recurring problems has been batting consistency. Beyond a few bright spots\u2014KL Rahul and Tristan Stubbs, along with Pathum Nissanka and Sameer Rizvi to a lesser extent\u2014the rest of the batting has often not met the standards required. The conditions at home in Delhi have also not played entirely in the Capitals\u2019 favour, with Miller noting that the nature of the wickets has varied.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe pitches have been a bit different,\u201d Miller said. \u201cIt\u2019s not impossible to play, though. We scored around 260 \u2014 there was a chase of 264 against Punjab Kings, for example. But there have also been one or two low totals, so it\u2019s been a little bit different. That\u2019s cricket, really\u2014you always have to adjust to the conditions and to what\u2019s in front of you. Potentially, chasing could be a good way to look at it, because you can gauge what total you need on a wicket you\u2019re not entirely sure how it will behave.\u201d<\/p>\n
He also highlighted how Delhi\u2019s innings can slip when wickets tumble in quick succession. \u201cWith the batting, it\u2019s pretty clear the games we haven\u2019t done too well in\u2014there we\u2019ve lost wickets in clusters. Two, three, four wickets close together. That puts you in a position where you have to rebuild and then try to set or chase a total that\u2019s competitive.\u201d<\/p>\n
Finally, Miller pointed to the small moments that can swing a match. \u201cAnd then there are those occasional phases where we\u2019ve dropped a couple of catches that could potentially have changed the outcome.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
David Miller is finding it tough to be on the sidelines right now. One of the most respected T20 hitters in the world, the batter…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":8312,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"IPL 2026: David Miller Benched as Delhi Capitals Chase Wins","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"David Miller laments being benched as Delhi Capitals tweak their XI to chase wins\u2014preview of the next IPL 2026 clash vs Kolkata Knights.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8313","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n