Nicholas Pooran

King’s XI head coach Mike Hesson says Pooran is like Chris Gayle. Nothing to live up to there then

The Cricketer | 04/05/2019 at 14:55

Born: October 2, 1995

Role: Left-hand bat, wicketkeeper

Nicholas Pooran bats with a freedom that might have something to do with an incident that happened three years ago.

He was in a car accident on his native island of Trinidad; he smashed into a sandheap at the side of the road, and was hit by a car from behind. Initially he couldn’t move his toes, and his left knee and right ankle were damaged.

Surgery went perfectly though, and then he spent four months in a wheelchair.

“The accident has changed the way I live my life,” he says. “I am very thankful to be on the cricket field again. You never know what is going to happen when you wake up in the morning.”

West Indies’ selectors seem to have based his inclusion on the back of some exciting T20 displays (and he is also their spare keeper). In T20Is he has made 218 runs in 11 matches at a strike-rate of 140.

That includes half-centuries against India at Chennai last year and England at St Lucia this. He is a ‘360’ batsman, a shotmaker with a licence to thrill in the closing stages who has been inspired by the master of that art, AB de Villiers.

Pooran has also been showing his talents at the IPL for King’s XI Punjab, including an innings of 46 off 28 balls against Royal Challengers Bangalore. He has a penchant for the pull, and the switch-hit.

The King’s XI head coach Mike Hesson says he is like Chris Gayle. Nothing to live up to there then.

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