KP becomes first player to wear 2012 Daredevils jersey

Explosive batsman Kevin Pietersen, who became the first Delhi Daredevils player to don the new team uniform at the ICC Global Cricket Academy here today, said he is looking forward to playing alongside many exciting players like Virender Sehwag, David Warner, Mahela Jayawardene and Morne Morkel.

“There is no doubt that the Indian Premier League is an exciting competition and I am delighted to back after having to miss out last season because of a surgery. When I look at the squad list, I am sure that Delhi Daredevils will regain the consistency it has shown in the first three editions when it won 24 games,” he said.

He reflected the immense confidence Delhi Daredevils has about lasting the distance in the coming edition of the Indian Premier League. “We are excited about our prospects in the coming season,” said Mr TA Sekar, Head (Cricket), GMR Sports Pvt Ltd, which owns the Delhi Franchise of the Indian Premier League. “We have the right assembly of talent to.”

Mr Sekar, who is also Team Mentor, said the squad has been restructured with a view to be competitive through the season. “Kevin’s transfer from Hyderabad, the successful bidding for Mahela Jayawardene and young all-rounders Andre Russell (West Indies) and Douglas Bracewell (New Zealand) are all steps in that direction,” he said.

“We have also worked at adding to our ranks domestic talent who we believe can make a significant difference. For instance, we have added Delhi’s 18-year-old Pawan Negi, a left-handed all-rounder who bowls left-arm spin and can pack a punch with the bat. Gujarat’s Manprit Juneja who made a double century on Ranji Trophy debut and Saurashtra’s Kuldeep Raval are exciting talent who can play critical roles in the middle-order,” Sekar said.

Mr Sekar thanked the team’s Sponsors and Partners for supporting the Delhi Daredevils. “We value our relationship with our Sponsors and Partners immensely as we realise that our journey would not be as wonderful without their support and co-operation,” he said. “We also cherish the enormous support that Delhi Daredevils enjoys in the National Capital Region and beyond.”