Ross Taylor happy with floater's role

Ross Taylor, the Royal Challengers Bangalore batsman, has said he's happy playing the floater's role in the line-up. He usually slots in at No. 4 spot in New Zealand's Twenty20 batting order, but has been used in every position between No. 3 and No. 6 by Bangalore.

"My job is to adjust to different slots. My role with the New Zealand team is a bit different from what I have with Bangalore. I am enjoying it," Taylor said at the team hotel in Bangalore. "Depending on where I bat - either top three or four, five or six - my role changes. Whether you need 120 runs or 220 runs, you need to know your role and play accordingly."

Barely four days after completing a Test series against Australia, Taylor turned out for his first IPL match of the season on Sunday. He said the amount of cricket being played eased the switch between formats. "We play all formats each year and there is more of chop and change and you get used to it and you adjust with the transition period."

He was also unperturbed by the short gap between the end of the IPL and the start of the ICC World Twenty20 in the West Indies - the IPL finals are on April 25, and New Zealand take on Sri Lanka five days later. "The only issue would be jetlag I guess. You can't get any better preparation than playing Twenty20 cricket. Maybe you could have some warm-up games in the Caribbean but the quality you get at the IPL is good."

Taylor's six-hitting has made him something of a cult hero to Bangalore fans. During the Champions League last year, crowds at the Chinnaswamy were frequently clamouring for him to come out to bat. "I got a good reception here in the first year but I wasn't expecting the reception I got (for the Champions League)," he said. "It was an amazing feeling to hear people chant your name."

That popularity should translate into big money at the next IPL auction, but the future of New Zealand's players will decided by the new central contracts that will come in place once the existing ones end in July. Negotiations are currently on between New Zealand players' association and the board, with worries that the higher financial incentive offered by the IPL could lead to more freelance cricketers.

"We have always had central contracts. Obviously the time our New Zealand season finishes in March, early April, it sort of clashes with the IPL. I guess in international cricket we will find the space and I hope we get to play in the IPL." Taylor said. "New Zealand Cricket are trying their best to retain their players. We don't get paid as well as other players and the money we get in IPL far outweighs what we get in New Zealand."