“It Wasn’t Nice”: Miller Breaks Silence On Losing Proteas Contract And International Future

David Miller has reaffirmed his commitment to playing for South Africa despite losing his Cricket South Africa national contract, insisting that his priority remains representing the Proteas.

Miller, who continues to feature in T20 leagues around the world, said losing his contract was difficult but had not changed his desire to play international cricket.

“I lost my contract with Cricket South Africa, and it wasn’t nice,” Miller said.

“But it’s part of life and, having explained my motives, I still want to play for South Africa.”

The 37-year-old said communication with the Proteas management, particularly head coach Shukri Conrad, has remained transparent regarding his availability.

“In my situation, I’ve mainly been in touch with Shukri over the last couple of months, and it’s been pretty transparent,” he said.

Miller’s involvement in various T20 leagues means he is not always part of the Proteas setup, but he maintains that representing South Africa remains a priority whenever he is selected.

“I just want to play against the best. I love competing against the best in the world, so making myself available for South Africa is something that I’ve always wanted to do,” he said.

Miller also stressed that he has approached his international future on a year-by-year basis rather than looking too far ahead.

“The last couple of years I’ve wanted to take it year by year, as the contracts are annual. That’s kind of been my situation,” he said.

“Although I play in a lot of leagues and stuff, I’ve always wanted to play for South Africa, and I love playing for South Africa. So nothing’s changed; it’s just that I’ve lost my contract.”

With increasing competition for places in the Proteas squad, Miller acknowledged the emergence of a new generation of players and said he wants to contribute to their development.

“There’s healthy competition at the moment. A lot of youngsters are coming through. I’m well aware of that, and it’s great to have that competition,” he said.

“It breeds healthy growth, and I just want to give back with whatever I can to the youngsters.”

Rather than viewing his experience as something that puts him above the younger players, Miller believes there is also plenty he can learn from them.

“You actually learn a lot from the youngsters nowadays,” he said.

For Miller, the focus remains on making himself available when required and producing his best performances for the Proteas, regardless of his contractual status.

“I just want to be in a position where I can serve wherever needed and ultimately put in the best performance I can for South Africa,” he said.