IPL 2026 Auction: South Africa's star batter David Miller became the first player to be sold at the ongoing auction. It was a steal deal for Delhi Capitals, who had roped him for his base price of Rs 2 cr.
DC didn't face any competition, and they were quite happy with this. They were looking for a middle-order batter to strengthen their team as they didn't have Harry Brook's replacement, which had a huge impact on their campaign.
David Miller is South Africa's best batter in white ball cricket after making his debut in 2010. In the shortest format, he announced his arrival as a brilliant middle-order batsman and hit one of the quickest tons as he scored 100 runs off 35 balls against Bangladesh in 2017.
He has consistently represented South Africa and played brilliantly as a middle-order batter, scoring 2500 runs in this format.
He has scored 2612 runs after playing in 132 T20I matches at an average of 33 and at a strike rate of more than 140, which includes two tons and eight fifties, and is their run-getter in this format. He played a huge role for the Proteas in the 2024 T20 World Cup.
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His impact extends beyond internationals as well. In September 2024, he became only the sixth player in men’s cricket to feature in 500 T20 matches across all competitions.
Miller has been a prolific and impactful middle-order batter in the IPL since his debut in 2012, featuring in 141 matches and amassing 3,077 runs at a strike rate of about 138.60, with a batting average in the mid-30s, including one century and 13 fifties, and a highest score of 101 against Royal Challengers Bangalore — one of the fastest hundreds in IPL history.
Miller’s power-hitting is reflected in his 220 fours and 138 sixes across his IPL career, and he has been a key finisher and clutch performer for the Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals, Gujarat Titans (where he scored 481 runs in the title-winning 2022 season), and most recently, Lucknow Super Giants. His ability to clear the rope and finish innings has made him one of the more consistent overseas T20 batters in the league over the years.