Hyderabad, April 20 (NationPress) Hemang Badani, head coach of Delhi Capitals, has voiced his support for David Miller following the batter's decision to decline a single in the final moments of the match against Gujarat Titans. Badani stated that the experienced left-handed batter made the correct choice by not taking a single on the second-to-last ball, despite the game resulting in a narrow one-run loss.

After a previous match where he couldn't guide DC to victory against GT, needing two runs off the last two balls, Miller redeemed himself by hitting Romario Shepherd for two sixes and a four in the last over, leading DC to a six-wicket victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

"First and foremost, we must recognize that he is a seasoned player with a wealth of experience. Losing a game like the one against Gujarat is certainly disheartening. There has been significant discussion about it across social media, news outlets, and broadcast platforms.

"Ultimately, the player makes a decision at critical moments. Sometimes it's the right one, and sometimes it isn't. I firmly believe he made the correct choice. While opinions may vary—something I respect—it's essential to understand differing perspectives," Badani remarked during a pre-match press conference ahead of DC's clash with Sunrisers Hyderabad.

With 15 runs needed off the last over, Miller returned to the crease when 13 runs were required from four balls, accomplishing the task with flair while forming a match-winning 45-run partnership with Player of the Match Tristan Stubbs. "To overcome that situation demonstrates his character. The world recognizes that he is capable of finishing games, having done so in the past. We have faith in him.

"If you review the highlights, it's clear that we supported him even after that one-run loss. The communication from the captain to the coach, management, and players was transparent: it’s perfectly acceptable, these things happen, and we trust you. He has reaffirmed that trust within two games," added Badani.

Discussing the nature of T20 cricket and the need for consistency, Badani expressed, "In essence, this format doesn’t hinge on consistency; it’s about making an impact, seizing opportunities, and rising to the occasion when it counts, which I believe we've achieved.

"Even looking back at our recent losses, the whole world knows that the outcome could have been very different with that one run from Miller. The other match we discussed was against CSK.

"If any team wins four out of five games, I don’t think there would be concerns. It’s more about the process we’ve adhered to. We have consistently followed our process, and whether results come or not, we are content with our trajectory," he concluded.

Regarding Sameer Rizvi’s recent performances following a dip after two match-winning innings, Badani stated, "He is in an excellent mental space. In this format, if someone has led you to victory in two matches, and with three Man-of-the-Match awards last year, it’s noteworthy. Many might not remember that his last match with us was a man-of-the-match performance.

"The first game this year was a man-of-the-match performance, and the second game was as well. If a player is delivering such results, I am pleased. In a high-risk format like this, batters may occasionally falter. He’s in good form and performing well; I have no real concerns about his contributions."

On Axar Patel's fitness after he had to retire due to cramps in Bengaluru, Badani confirmed: "All is well. He is fit to play." On Stubbs’ recent performances, he concluded, "No discussion needed. I’m quite satisfied with his progress."