South African David Miller, Kings XI Punjab’s captain for IPL 2016, says he will continue to remain aggressive despite the new responsibility. In an interview with The Indian Express, he also shares his adulation for his compatriot, AB de Villiers. Excerpts: How do you look forward to your role as skipper of Kings XI Punjab? My approach won't change because of captaincy. I would continue to be aggressive and lead the team with the same state of mind. You have been batting down the order. As captain, do you have plans to bat higher up the order? The No.4 slot would be ideal, but again I want to be as flexible as I could for the team, and depending on the situation. Say if we need a left-right combination, or a spinner is bowling and we need some sweeps to just release the pressure. It would depend primarily on the situation but No.4 looks like the spot. How much has the batting approach changed in T20s? Not much. T20 cricket is all about boundaries. Ones and twos are equally important, but I feel the big hits still hold the key in crunch situations. They don't generally come that easily, so it's important to target a bowler, someone who is having an off day. It changes the momentum in no time. Ones or twos still play a crucial role, like Virat Kohli showed in the World T20. What do you make of this approach? Virat has showed that you can score, say, a 80 off 45 balls by only playing proper cricketing shots and running hard. Virat manipulates the field really well and manages to find the gaps with ease. So, when big shots don't come, manipulation of the field and finding gaps become important. Would you give this advice to someone like a Maxwell? Glenn Maxwell is a match winner and has played that role well for us. So I wouldn't want him to do something different, just keep doing what he has been doing. Being a 'finisher', how do you approach crunch situations? Early on, it's all about assessing the conditions and maintaining a strike-rate of 100. It's about giving myself a chance. My energy levels and body language need to be in the right place. Next is to identify and target the bowler who's not having a good day. Rest is just about basics - watch the ball and play. Where do you see yourself in the next 2-3 years? I’m striving to become someone like AB — to be confident and consistent in what I do.
