The attack on troubled New Zealand all-rounder Jesse Ryder added to the woes of the Delhi Daredevils
The franchise has already been hit by the Indian Premier League (IPL) governing council’s decision to not feature any Sri Lankan players/officials in the matches held at Chennai — which would mean Delhi would be without the services of skipper Mahela Jayawardene.
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TA Sekar
Ryder, who was all set to join the Delhi camp in a few days, was brutally beaten up outside a bar in Christchurch yesterday. The 28-year-old slipped into induced coma with a fractured skull and internal injuries. He also reportedly suffered a punctured lung.
“Obviously, we were eagerly looking forward to have Jesse with us. This is certainly a big blow to us. What has happened is quite unfortunate. We wish him a speedy recovery,” TA Sekar, Delhi Daredevils’ teamu00a0mentor, told MiD DAY yesterday.
Ryder, whose base price was $100,000, was bought by Delhi at $260,000 during the last auction. He has also turned out for Pune Warriors and Royal Challengers Bangalore in the previous five editions of the IPL. In the 29 IPL games, Ryder has smashed 604 runs and five half-centuries.
Ryder was bought by Delhi as a cover for Kevin Pietersen. With the England all-rounder already out of action due to an injury, and now with Ryder being unavailable, the Delhi think-tank will have to quickly look for a suitable replacement.
“It (Ryder’s unavailability) certainly affects the planning. We will see what is best for the team,” said Sekar, who turned 57 yesterday.u00a0
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