Gautam Gambhir named captain of DD

DD on Wednesday announced that Gautam Gambhir has been appointed captain of the franchise for the 2018 Vivo IPL season.
DD Chief Executive Mr. Hemant Dua made the announcement about the appointment in the city while also launching the jersey for the season. Also present on the occasion was Gambhir himself along with his teammates Naman Ojha and Manjot Kalra.
Also during the event in the city it was revealed that lead Team Sponsor, Daikin, will continue their association with the franchise for three more years. In another significant development, Two-Wheeler major Suzuki Motorcycle India under its brand Suzuki Gixxer, alongside FMCG major Cargill India under its brand NatureFresh were also named as principal sponsors of the side
“I had maintained post the auction that Gauti (Gambhir) has unfinished business with the franchise. He was the second highest scorer during the last IPL. But above all, he is a leader, so this appointment was an easy choice. Both Ricky (Ponting) and Gauti have spoken to each other. I am glad that they are both on the same page,” Mr Dua said.
Speaking about the appointment, Head Coach Ricky Ponting said: “Gauti has been a leader for a very long time. He has always proven himself to be one of the top leaders during his stint with other sides in the IPL. He has a big personality, but it is the drive behind the outward confidence which I think will inspire the rest of the team. He has the respect of the dressing room and the franchise is proud to have him as our captain. I would like to congratulate him on the appointment and wish him, all the very best."
One half of India's most celebrated opening pairs ever, Gambhir, is returning to play for DD after a gap of eight years. Gambhir himself was delighted with his new role as he said: “It is a huge honour to once again captain DD. To get this responsibility is a way for me to give back to the sport in the city. I firmly believe that with the players currently involved we have the makings of a very good side. The potential of this group of players is immense and it is now up to us to turn that potential into consistent performances. It is also going to be great to work in unison with Ricky, an absolute champion himself.”

SQUAD

• Captain: Gautam Gambhir
• Batsmen: Jason Roy, Prithvi Shaw, Shreyas Iyer, Manjot Kalra, Colin Munro
• Wicket-keepers: Rishabh Pant, Naman Ojha
• All-rounders: Chris Morris, Glenn Maxwell, Vijay Shankar, Daniel Christian, Gurkeerat Singh Mann, Jayant Yadav
• Fast bowlers: Kagiso Rabada, Mohammad Shami, Trent Boult, Avesh Khan, Harshal Patel, Sayan Ghosh
• Spinners: Amit Mishra, Shahbaz Nadeem, Rahul Tewatia, Abhishek Sharma, Sandeep Lamichhane

Earlier in January 2018, the franchise had also named its full support staff for the season. Head coach Ponting leads a strong support team which also includes former Australian international James Hopes (bowling coach), along with two very highly rated assistant coaches in Pravin Amre and Sridharan Sriram.
Support staff:
Head Coach: Ricky Ponting; Bowling Coach: James Hopes; Assistant coaches: Pravin Amre, Sridharan Sriram; Fielding coach: Subhadeep Ghosh; Physio: Paul Close; Fitness Coach: Rajinikanth Sivagnanam
Mr. Kanwaljeet Jawa, CEO & Managing Director, Daikin India said: “Cricket is a religion in India. And DD is the most promising team of the league during 2018, Daikin’s decision to associate aims at fuelling the resurgent interest in the sport amongst youngsters.” He further added, “The partnership in the past has helped us increase our brand awareness exponentially across tier 2 & 3 cities and the journey ahead will indeed be a privileged one for the entire Daikin family. In the second season of partnership with DD, our current and prospective consumers will be able to notice the Daikin & DD partnership on National Television, Radio, Outdoor & Out-of-Home Media vehicles on a national level.”
Acknowledging Daikin’s sponsorship, Mr Dua, said: “I would like to thank Daikin for once again reposing its faith in the team and for continuing to support us in every way. I am confident that this association will continue to benefit both the parties and will also contribute in the betterment of sports in the country.”
Mr Dua also took the opportunity to welcome on board the two new principal sponsors of the franchise-Suzuki Motorcycle India and Cargill India. “We are delighted to welcome both Suzuki Motorcycle India and Cargill India to the DD family. I am confident with their support, DD, with the exciting new additions to our squad, will be able to give our fans a lot to cheer about this season.”
“We are proud to be able to be a part of IPL, aptly called the festival of cricket, and announce our association with DD. What excites us the most about the association are the numerous common attributes that we share with this team. DD this year embodies zeal, youthfulness and performance; traits that are akin to Suzuki Motorcycle India. We look forward to a long-fulfilling partnership with the DD both on the field and off the field. On behalf of the entire Suzuki family, we wish the team all the very best for the upcoming season,” said Sajeev Rajasekharan, Executive Vice President, Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt Ltd.
Speaking on the association, Deoki Muchhal, Managing Director, Cargill’s food business in India said, “As a consumer brand, we are always looking for relevant avenues and associations to engage with our consumers. NatureFresh as a brand represents active living, and this association with a sporting event is a natural extension of the brand ethos. The Indian Premier League (IPL) is undoubtedly one of the most popular sporting events in the country, and our choice of IPL as a platform to actively engage with consumers, stems from this. We especially chose to join hands with the DD as principal sponsors because our loyal consumer base lies in this region. The Daredevils are an exciting mix of seasoned players and new talent, and I would like to wish them the very best for a successful season ahead.”

DD Schedule:

DATE	OPPONENT	TIME	VENUE
8 April, Sunday	Kings XI Punjab	4:00 pm IST	Ferozeshah Kotla, New Delhi
11 April, Wednesday	Rajasthan Royals	8:00 pm IST	Sawai Mansigh Stadiun, Jaipur
14 April, Saturday	Mumbai Indians	4:00 pm IST	Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
16 April, Monday	Kolkata Knight Riders	8:00 pm IST	Eden Gardens, Kolkata
21 April, Saturday	Royal Challengers Bangalore	8:00 pm IST	Ferozeshah Kotla, New Delhi
23 April, Monday	Kings XI Punjab	8:00 pm IST	Holkar Stadium, Indore
27 April, Friday	Kolkata Knight Riders	8:00 pm IST	Ferozeshah Kotla, New Delhi
30 April, Monday	Chennai Super Kings	8:00 pm IST	MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
2 May, Wednesday	Rajasthan Royals	8:00 pm IST	Ferozeshah Kotla, New Delhi
5 May, Saturday	Sunrisers Hyderabad	8:00 pm IST	Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, Hyderabad
10 May, Thursday	Sunrisers Hyderabad	8:00 pm IST	Ferozeshah Kotla, New Delhi
12 May, Saturday	Royal Challengers Bangalore	8:00 pm IST	M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore
18 May, Friday	Chennai Super Kings	8:00 pm IST	Ferozeshah Kotla, New Delhi
20 May, Sunday	Mumbai Indians	4:00 pm IST	Ferozeshah Kotla, New Delhi

For Further Information Contact:
Chandresh Narayanan
Mobile/Whatsapp: +919819359780
Email: chandreshn@gmail.com


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About DD
The DD is a franchise cricket team representing the city of Delhi in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Founded in 2008 as one of the eight founding teams of the IPL, the Delhi franchise is owned by the GMR Group.