David Miller is set to skip South Africa’s white-ball tour of Australia in August 2025 as he returns to play in The Hundred, having signed a lucrative deal with Northern Superchargers.
The veteran finisher’s absence raised a few eyebrows when the Proteas’ squads for the Australia tour were announced. But there’s a practical reason behind it from the player’s point of view. Miller, 36, opted for a hybrid contract with Cricket South Africa (CSA), which allows him to skip select bilateral series while remaining available for key events and agreed-upon tours.
Earlier this year, CSA announced that both Miller and Rassie van der Dussen had accepted hybrid contracts rather than full-time national deals. Explaining the rationale, Enoch Nkwe, CSA’s Director of National Teams and High Performance, had said:
“The hybrid contracts take into consideration the dynamic nature of modern-day cricket and will provide David and Rassie with the opportunity to contribute to the team during specific bilateral tours and ICC events.”
Miller, who featured in both the T20I and ODI legs of South Africa’s recent home series against India and Pakistan, will now return to The Hundred, a tournament he last played in 2022. This time, he joins Northern Superchargers, where he’ll link up with Nicholas Pooran, his IPL teammate at Lucknow Super Giants.
The decision isn’t just about workload or balancing formats. It’s also a smart financial move. While top-grade South Africa national contracts are reportedly worth around $350,000 annually, Miller is set to earn approximately £200,000 (over $250,000) for his short stint in The Hundred.
Add to that the match fees South African players receive, $1,200 for an ODI and $800 for a T20I, and it becomes clear why Miller, nearing the twilight of his career, is managing his calendar to maximize both playing opportunities and financial returns.
As per CSA’s structure, central contracts are tiered, and players with hybrid deals like Miller get the freedom to explore franchise leagues more actively. With fellow middle-order stalwart Heinrich Klaasen opting out of international cricket altogether earlier this year to go full-time into franchise cricket, Miller’s hybrid deal offers a middle path.
Since 2024, David Miller has remained one of the most sought-after finishers in franchise cricket, actively featuring across top T20 leagues. In the Indian Premier League (IPL), he’s played for Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants in the last two editions, scoring over 360 runs across 20 innings. His standout IPL campaign came in 2022 with GT, where he amassed 481 runs at an average of 68.71. In the SA20, Miller has been a consistent performer for Paarl Royals.
He also impressed in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) for Barbados Royals in 2024, scoring 268 runs in just nine innings at a blistering strike rate of over 160. In the Major League Cricket (MLC) tournament in USA, he turned out for both LA Knight Riders and Texas Super Kings across two seasons, though with limited success. Additionally, in the past, he has had short stints in the BPL, LPL, and PSL, with notable contributions in each.
Miller played seven games in The Hundred for Welsh Fire in 2022, and he’s set to return to the tournament in 2025 with Northern Superchargers on a £200,000 deal.
| League | Innings | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | Sixes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bangladesh Premier League | 3 | 47 | 47.00 | 123.68 | 1 |
| Caribbean Premier League | 9 | 268 | 44.66 | 162.42 | 17 |
| Indian Premier League | 20 | 363 | 33.00 | 140.15 | 12 |
| Major League Cricket | 6 | 81 | 16.20 | 120.89 | 3 |
| SA20 | 19 | 474 | 39.50 | 126.73 | 14 |
Yes, and that’s where things get interesting. He’s expected to be available for the T20 World Cup next year. While Miller is sitting out the Australia tour, he’s expected to return for South Africa’s white-ball tour of England in September. That series will serve as a key part of the team’s build-up to the 2026 T20 World Cup in India.
Given his vast IPL experience and his proven ability to finish games in subcontinent conditions, Miller will be a central figure in South Africa’s plans for the World Cup. His presence could be even more vital now that Klaasen, arguably South Africa’s best player of spin, has called time on his international career.
That said, in an interview The Cricket Monthly last year, Miller refused to confirm that he would make the T20 World Cup, although accepting a hybrid contract later is a sign that he probably would be available.
“I have spoken to Rob Walters [South Africa’s white-ball coach] about it [T20 World Cup 2026 availability],” Miller told The Cricket Monthly.
“At this stage, I’m just going year by year and assessing where my cricket’s on a yearly basis. I don’t want to get too far ahead. I would love to play cricket for as long as I can. At this stage, yes, I’m looking forward to it, but we’ll just see how we go along the way.”
It’s probably clearer now after the central contracts announcement that Miller remains in the long-term plans, even if he’s not playing every series.
Since South Africa’s heart-breaking loss in the 2024 T20 World Cup final to India, where Miller’s dismissal in the final over ended their dream, he has only featured in five T20Is. However, he did represent South Africa in the 2025 Champions Trophy, indicating that he’s still committed to the big tournaments.
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Miller’s decision to skip the Australia tour is not a signal of stepping away, it’s likely simply a calculated choice within the flexible framework CSA now offers its players. In the new cricketing world where international schedules clash frequently with franchise leagues, hybrid models may become the norm rather than the exception.
For now, David Miller will be lighting up The Hundred. But come next year, when South Africa need composure and experience in the crunch stages of another ICC tournament, expect Miller to walk out for the Proteas, and he’s arguably better equipped to handle the challenges having played in a number of leagues around the globe leading up to it.
T20I squad: Aiden Markram (c), Corbin Bosch, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, George Linde, Kwena Maphaka, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Nqaba Peter, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen, Rassie van der Dussen.
ODI squad: Temba Bavuma (c), Corbin Bosch, Matthew Breetzke, Dewald Brevis, Nandre Burger, Tony de Zorzi, Aiden Markram, Senuran Muthusamy, Keshav Maharaj, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Kagiso Rabada, Ryan Rickelton, Tristan Stubbs, Prenelan Subrayen.
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