Quinton de Kock will bring calmness as South Africa captain, says David Miller
David Miller: "We're here to win. We're not here to see how things go. We are playing the world champions but cricket is cricket and everyone's beatable"
Sunday 2 February 2020 15:06, UK
New captain Quinton de Kock will bring a calmness to South Africa's ODI side as they build for the next World Cup in India in 2023, says Proteas batsman David Miller.
De Kock has succeeded Faf du Plessis as 50-over skipper, with his first assignment the three-match series against England, starting in Cape Town on Tuesday, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10.30am.
The wicketkeeper-batsman, 27, is closing in on 5,000 ODI runs and has hit 14 hundreds and 24 fifties in 115 matches to date at an average of 45.01.
"Quinny is Quinny. He's an unbelievable performer," said Miller. "He thinks about things very simply but I genuinely think as he's got older - he's actually a mature, proper senior player now - he's got a great feel.
"He has a great understanding of the game and there's a calmness to him. He oozes enjoying the game and I think that's a great asset."
South Africa have named an inexperienced squad for the ODI series, with Kagiso Rabada and Dale Steyn rested.
Five players - Lutho Sipamla, Sisanda Magala, Bjorn Fortuin, Janneman Malan and Kyle Verreynne - are in line for their first 50-over caps.
However, Miller says the Proteas remain determined to win the series and reckons they can test the reigning world champions, for whom Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes have been rested.
"It's very exciting. I saw the squad come out and it was not the normal squad that everyone's used to seeing. It's refreshing," said Miller, who has struck five tons and 12 half-centuries in 126 ODIs.
"I personally don't enjoy the fact we're just building for something. In international cricket you need to perform so guys need to come in and learn as quick as possible.
"We're here to win. We're not here to see how things go. We are playing the world champions but cricket is cricket and everyone's beatable.
"If we come with the right approach and mindset, and we nail down what we need to do, think it's going to be a really good competition."
Seamer Lungi Ngidi is back for South Africa after missing the Test series with a hamstring injury and says the Proteas are desperate to atone for the 3-1 defeat to Englad in the longest form.
"It's always frustrating to be watching, especially if we're not doing as well as we wanted to be doing," said the 23-year-old.
"To win this series would be a massive thing for us. Having not done as well as we wanted to in the Test series, it's a chance for us to redeem ourselves and still show that Protea fire that we have.
"It doesn't matter who's playing for [England]. Whatever line-up they come up with, we're just going to have to do as best as we can on the day."
Watch the first ODI between South Africa and England, in Cape Town, live from 10.30am on Tuesday on Sky Sports Cricket.
