Gujarat Titans (GT) on Sunday (May 29) became the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 champions after thrashing Rajasthan Royals by 7 wickets in Ahmedabad. Throughout the tournament, they were the most dominant side, registering 10 wins in 14 matches at the end of the league stage.
The Titans remained unbeaten in the playoffs and emerged as the champions in their debut season. Each and every member of the Gujarat camp took the responsibility of taking the team over the line. One of them was South African batter David Miller who was outstanding in the slog overs.
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After going unsold in the initial round of the mega auction, Miller was picked by GT in the second round. The franchise benefitted immensely with this move as the left-hander amassed 481 runs in 16 matches at a staggering average of 68.71.
Former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar has hailed Miller's performances in the IPL 2022 season. Manjrekar told ESPNcricinfo that after multiple failed attempts in previous seasons, the South African cricketer finally got it right this year.
“David Miller was the biggest surprise. Apart from his first couple of years, all the other seasons had proved to be a failure for him. He suddenly stepped up while playing for a new franchise this year. It was his best IPL season. He batted really well in the final and also played a match-winning knock in Qualifier 1,” he said.
The cricketer-turned-commentator also stated that the Gujarat franchise is not yet a big team because it is too early to predict their performance in the coming years. He went on to warn that in the following seasons, the Rajasthan Royals will have to do the same.
“If a team has won, it is because they have got everything right in that particular season. We still cannot call GT a big team yet. While they have won the championship, it remains to be seen how they will come back and perform next year.
“The same goes for RR, who made it to the final after many years. If they are able to deliver similar performances next year, then we can say that two more strong teams have come. While CSK and MI were at their peak, they had 8-9 players who helped them win matches consistently,” he concluded.
(ESPNCricinfo INPUTS)
