Delhi Daredevils happy with result of IPL-V auction

Delhi Daredevils is pleased to have strengthened its batting by picking up the intended players during the auction for the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League on Saturday.

Delhi added Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene and young all-rounders Andre Russell (West Indies) and Doug Bracewell (New Zealand) to their ranks.

"Going into the auction, we were very clear that we would strengthen our middle-order batting and look for all-rounders. We are happy to have found what we targeted," team mentor T A Sekar said.

He said Jayawardene would be a source of strength for the Delhi Daredevils middle-order.


"There can be no doubt that Mahela will make a difference to the team with his vast experience and his approach. We are delighted that we could add a true blue professional of his stature to our roster," he said.

In 106 Twenty20 matches, Jayawardene has scored 2,631 runs with two centuries and 17 half-centuries at a strike-rate of 136.81. He has also 1,136 runs to his credit in 49 IPL matches so far.

Sekar said that in Russell and Bracewell the Delhi Daredevils found the quality all-rounders it was looking for.

"We wanted players who could bat explosively in the death overs and give the team four effective overs. We believe Andre and Doug are exciting talent and will live up to our expectations," he said.

The 23-year-old Jamaican Russell has played one Test, 14 one-day internationals and five T20 internationals for the West Indies while Bracewell, 21, has played four Tests, three ODIs and two T20 internationals for New Zealand.


"The addition of Kevin Pietersen to the side this season, on transfer from Deccan Chargers, and the recruitment of some exciting Indian talent like Pawan Negi, Manprit Juneja, Kuldeep Raval and Punit Bisht are all steps towards ensuring that Delhi Daredevils goes the distance in the coming IPL season.

"We have high quality fast bowling and efficient spinners and are confident that we have the combination we have been wanting," Sekar said.

The team (as of February 4):

Indian players: Virender Sehwag (captain), Varun Aaron, Ajit Agarkar, Punit Bisht, Robin Bist, Unmukt Chand, Ashoke Dinda, Manprit Juneja, Vikas Mishra, Yogesh Nagar, Prashant Naik, Shahbaz Nadeem, Pawan Negi, Naman Ojha, Irfan Pathan, Venugopal Rao, Kuldeep Raval, Aavishkar Salvi, Tejaswi Yadav and Umesh Yadav.

Overseas players: Travis Birt, Doug Bracewell, Aaron Finch, James Hopes, Colin Ingram, Mahela Jayawardene, Morne Morkel, Kevin Pietersen, Andre Russell, David Warner and Roelof van der Merwe.

PTI