Sunil Gavaskar defended David Miller’s mindset after the Delhi Capitals’ one-run loss to the Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026, where Miller refused a single on the penultimate ball. While supporting Miller’s intent to finish the game, Gavaskar emphasized situational awareness, citing Ravi Shastri’s 1986 tied Test move.
Former India captain and batting legend turned commentator Sunil Gavaskar has come out in support of the Delhi Capitals’ David Miller’s mindset after the team’s heartbreaking one-run defeat in the IPL 2026 clash against the Gujarat Titans at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on Wednesday, April 8.
David Miller played a valiant, unbeaten knock of 41 off 20 balls, including 3 sixes and as many fours, taking Delhi Capitals to the final delivery of the 211-run chase. However, the South African batter’s refusal to take a single on the penultimate ball of the match became the talking point of the match, as many questioned whether his decision cost Delhi Capitals a chance to force a Super Over.
When DC required two runs off two balls to win, Miller decided to keep the strike and go for the boundary on the final ball rather than take the easy single to tie the game and force a Super Over. However, the South African batter’s decision backfired as Kuldeep Yadav was run out at the striker’s end on the final delivery, handing the Gujarat Titans a dramatic one-run victory and leaving the Delhi Capitals heartbroken.
Related Articles
‘You Cannot Fault That Intent’
Amid the debate over David Miller’s single refusal that cost a victory for the Delhi Capitals, former India captain Sunil Gavaskar defended the South African batter, stating that he was backing himself to finish the game and that the intent cannot be faulted.
He added that the outcome came down to execution in the final moments, and sometimes in high-pressure situations, even the best intent doesn’t always lead to victory.
“David Miller was backing himself. He had been striking the ball well and believed he could finish it. You can’t fault that intent,” the 1983 World Cup winner told Jiostar after DC’s defeat to GT.
“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,” he added.
Incidentally, David Miller retired hurt at the start of the 14th over due to a finger injury before returning to the crease after the fall of KL Rahul’s wicket at 166/6, showing great determination to guide Delhi Capitals close to the target. In the penultimate over, Miller smashed Mohammed Siraj for two sixes and a four to bring the equation down from 36 off 12 balls to 13 off 6 balls.
Gavaskar Highlights the Importance of Situational Awareness
Though Sunil Gavaskar defended David Miller’s mindset in a critical situation, the former batting legend emphasized the importance of situational awareness, saying it reminded him of Ravi Shastri’s famous move in the tied Test against Australia in 1986, when he took a single to level the scores.
“This is where game awareness becomes crucial. It reminds me of what Ravi Shastri did in that tied Test against Australia in 1986, taking a single at the right moment to level the scores,” the 125-Test veteran said.
“In this case, in hindsight, a single might have been the better option, especially after Kuldeep Yadav managed one earlier,” he added.
With two wins and a defeat, Delhi Capitals are currently at the fourth spot with four points and have a net run rate of +0.811 in three matches. The Axar Patel-led side will look to make a comeback when they take on the Chennai Super Kings at the Chepauk Stadium in Chennai on Saturday, April 11.
Also Read: ‘Not Today’ – KL Rahul’s Mix-Up Leaves Stubbs Stranded As Delhi Capitals Lose (WATCH)
