‘101 against RCB set my career up’: David Miller recalls most rewarding IPL knock

NEW DELHI: South African batter David Miller has identified his unbeaten 101 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the 2013 Indian Premier League (IPL) as the knock he is most proud of in the league innings, saying the pressure-filled chase played a key role in shaping his career.

Miller, who is representing Southern Brave in The Hundred 2026, reflected on his career and his most memorable IPL performances while speaking to JioStar. The left-hander has established himself as one of T20 cricket’s most dependable middle-order finishers over a career spanning more than a decade.

“I think the 101 that I scored against RCB, the fact that it was a chase, chasing down a score and scoring a hundred, my first hundred in the IPL, my first T20 hundred, was a knock that felt the most rewarding. I think there was a lot at stake there, and it kind of set my career up if I look back at it now. Then there was another knock that I’ll always remember as well, the one in Durban against Australia. We chased down a score there as well, and I scored a hundred, 118 not out or something. So, those two knocks under pressure, scoring hundreds, they’ll always kind of stand out,” he said.

David Miller came in 9th Over when KXIP was 51-3 while chasing 191. From that Situation David Miller Scored 101 off just 38 balls to win the game for KXIP against RCB. Unbelievable. #DavidMiller #Miller #IPL2025 #IPL pic.twitter.com/juwbCyqX0T

— Sam Konstas (@Sexy_Sammy55) March 17, 2025

Miller’s 101 came off just 38 balls for Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) against RCB in the 2013 season and remains one of the most iconic innings of his IPL career. The performance announced him as a destructive force in the middle order and laid the foundation for his reputation as a finisher.

The South African said mastering the art of finishing innings has been one of the most rewarding aspects of his long career.

“Probably the fact that I’ve made a career by batting in the middle order and finishing games, that would be something I’m most proud of. It’s something that takes a long time to kind of conquer and master. I’m still learning all the time, but at least I’ve had a long career in that department, and I’ve really enjoyed going about chasing innings, especially,” he said.

Miller has featured in 15 IPL seasons since making his debut in 2012, representing Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals, Gujarat Titans, Lucknow Super Giants and Delhi Capitals. He holds the record for the most IPL seasons played by a South African cricketer.

His most celebrated IPL campaign came with Gujarat Titans in 2022, when he played a pivotal role in the franchise’s title-winning debut season. Miller was the backbone of GT’s middle order and produced several match-winning performances during their historic run.

Reflecting on his favourite IPL memory, Miller picked that triumph with Gujarat Titans. He said, “My favourite moment in the IPL… there have been many, but we obviously play to win, so definitely winning the IPL for Gujarat Titans would be that.”

Miller has accumulated 3,288 runs in 152 IPL matches across his career and has become synonymous with late-innings hitting and successful chases.

In The Hundred 2026, Miller has scored 166 runs in eight matches for Southern Brave, although the franchise could not secure a place in the knockout stages. His latest campaign has added to a career in which the 37-year-old continues to play a key role in T20 leagues around the world. (ANI)