Dan the Man for Challengers
Outgoing New Zealand skipper Vettori named captain of the Bangalore outfit
Choosing experience over the exuberance of youth, Royal Challengers named former New Zealand skipper Daniel Vettori as their skipper for Indian Premier League’s fourth edition which will kick off in Chennai on Friday.
Virat Kohli, the only player to be retained by the RCB, had been strongly tipped to take over the mantle but the team bosses instead decided to go with Vettori who landed in City on Monday.
The left-arm spinning all-rounder, an integral part of Delhi Daredevils for the last three years, was bought by the Bangalore franchise for USD 550,000. He had led Kiwis to World Cup semifinals where they were bulldozed by eventual runners-up Sri Lanka.
Vettori is just one of the four former Delhi players that have been poached by the Vijay Mallya-owned side. Sri Lankan opener Tillakaratne Dilshan, South African batsman AB de Villiers and Aussie left-arm paceman Dirk Nannes too are part of the Bangalore side now.
Royal Challengers, finalists of the second edition in South Africa, were admirably led by former India captain Anil Kumble for the last two seasons but with the leg-spinning legend pulling out of the auction, he has been entrusted with the role of team’s Chief Mentor.
“Vettori is a hugely respected professional not only within his team but amongst his international peers as well,” said Kumble in a release issued here on Tuesday. “His unique ability to get players to perform as a unit and deliver more than just the sum of their parts, as he has done time and again with New Zealand, will be a big asset to any team,” he reasoned.
RCB coach Ray Jennings, the other day had indicated that Vettori is one of the contenders for the captain’s job. “Vettori is probably the best (left-arm) spinner in the world at the moment and brings in tremendous skills that will be extremely useful on Indian pitches. We hope that he will inspire the young Royal Challengers as much with his performance as with his leadership skills in the upcoming season.”
Mallya hoped Vettori’s experience and his leadership qualities will take the team to the top, while Director of Royal Challengers Sports Pvt. Ltd, Sidhartha Mallya said: “It’s wonderful that we have somebody of his stature to lead our team this year.”
Meanwhile, three South Africans Charl Langeveldt, Johan vsn der Watch and Rilee Rossouw joined the squad on Tuesday.
