Sunil Gavaskar defended David Miller’s decision to refuse a single in DC’s loss to GT, citing strong intent despite poor execution. He stressed the importance of game awareness, recalling Ravi Shastri’s 1986 heroics. Kevin Pietersen praised Rashid Khan for his match-winning spell.
New Delhi: Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar defended Delhi Capitals batter David Miller for his refusal to take a single in the IPL thriller against Gujarat Titans that cost his side the match, saying the South African's intent cannot be faulted.
Needing two off two to reach 211, Miller refused a single off Prasidh Krishna on the penultimate ball. He missed the final delivery but ran for a single. However, Kuldeep Yadav, from the other end, was unable to beat Jos Buttler's direct throw after the two batters had crossed over.
"David Miller was backing himself, he had been striking the ball well and believed he could finish it. You can't fault that intent. In the end, it also came down to execution, Prasidh Krishna bowled a superb slower bouncer at the right height, which made it difficult. These are very fine margins in pressure situations," Gavaskar told 'JioHotstar'.
The cricketer-turned-commentator added that game awareness is crucial in high-pressure moments, something that former India head coach Ravi Shastri highlighted during the tied Test against Australia in 1986.
