Legends of Sports

Delhi Daredevils have acquired Ross Taylor, the New Zealand captain, from Rajasthan Royals. Taylor is the second batsman Daredevils have signed in a trade, with Kevin Pietersen having made the move from Deccan Chargers in the first transfer pane prior to the IPL auction. The shift amount was not disclosed."We all know what a quality player Ross is and we are happy that he will be with us this season," Delhi Daredevils mentor TA Sekar said.

"Besides players like our captain Virender Sehwag and David Warner, we have added muscle to our batting by inducting Mahela Jayawardene, Kevin Pietersen and now Ross Taylor into our fold. Our fans can look forward to some fiery knocks."Taylor was bought by the Royals for $1 million in the 2011 player auction and played just the one season for them. He was picked to be the team's finisher, to give that late-innings kick that sets a winning total or ensures a successful run-chase.

Over 11 innings last season; he averaged 36.20 with a strike rate of 119.07 and a top score of 47 not out, one of six innings in which he stay unbeaten. Taylor is currently out of action with a calf strain that he picked up on the second morning of the only Test against Zimbabwe in Napier in January. He missed the limited-overs games against South Africa but is probable to return to the side for the first Test that begins on March 7.

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Ross Taylor has been appointed New Zealand cricket captain, succeeding Daniel Vettori who stepped down after this year's World Cup. Taylor won the captaincy ahead of wicketkeeper-batsman Brendon McCullum after a long thought. He was recommended for the position by New Zealand's director of cricket John Buchanan, national coach John Wright and acting national selection manager Mark Greatbatch, and generally approved by the board of New Zealand Cricket.

Chief executive Justin Vaughan said Taylor had been "an inspiring deputy to Vettori since taking over the vice-captaincy and shown to be a very capable leader when he has had the chance." "The process to select the captain has been robust," he said. Taylor, 27, has played 30 Tests for New Zealand, averaging 40, and 107 one-day international averaging 36.8.

"I've learnt a great deal about leadership having played under Dan Vettori and feel ready to take on what is one of the maximum honours in New Zealand sport," he said. Vettori was the youngest player to characterize New Zealand when he joined the team in 1998, aged 18. All-rounder Vettori announced prior to the World Cup that he was resigning the Test captaincy and was retiring from one-day and Twenty20 internationals.