‘It’s good motivation’: Proteas eager to perform in front of home crowds against Australia

South Africa will face Australia on home soil for the first time since 2023. With the Proteas playing at home for the first time in nearly two years, veteran batter David Miller is looking forward to South Africa’s three-match one-day international (ODI) series against Australia starting in Durban on Thursday, as he returns to the national side for the first time since March last year. Miller missed the SA team’s last 15 ODI games, while focusing on international leagues, recovering from a groin injury and making way for some younger prospects in the national squad, and he was excited to be back in the Proteas camp. And with a busy summer ahead, which included home tours against Bangladesh and England following the campaign against Australia, the 37-year-old big-hitting batter was confident the national team were ready to hit their straps in front of their home fans. “We haven’t played a lot of cricket in South Africa for a long time, and it’s always nice to play in front of home crowds,” Miller said. “So it’s great motivation and it’s really exciting to be a part of that… there have been positive vibes around the camp that I’ve joined over the last couple of days, and everyone’s in high spirits.” Not looking too far ahead With the World Cup being played in South Africa next year, that tournament was likely to be in the back of players’ minds as they looked to secure their places in the squad for the global showpiece. Miller, however, said they couldn’t get ahead of themselves by looking too far ahead, and he felt it was crucial for individuals in the Proteas team to focus on beating perennial rivals Australia as they aimed to secure their sixth successive ODI series win over the tourists, and their first at home since 2023. “This series is incredibly important to make sure that we are continually playing a winning brand of cricket and that’s expressed within the team,” he said. “It’s always been our priority to win games of cricket for South Africa, so this series is really important, and as you move forward, each step of the way you’re kind of just smoothing things out within the squad, and then we’ll kind of get to the World Cup when it comes.”