Trinbago Knight Riders have confirmed Nicholas Pooran as their new skipper for the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2025 season. The wicket-batter is a replacement to Kieron Pollard who has done a great job as a team captain since 2019, and led the team to the fourth title last year in CPL.
Pooran Relishes the Leadership Role
Taking up the responsibility, Pooran said he is proud to be leading a franchise that he has always looked up to. “It means a lot, first and foremost, to represent Trinbago Knight Riders. It is a privilege that I’m getting the opportunity to lead this franchise. I want to give it my best shot and hopefully make as many correct decisions as I can.”
He recognized the legacy that he is inheriting, as the captaincy has been transferred to Dwayne Bravo to Pollard and then to him. Pooran feels that the team has enough experience to bank on with Pollard, Sunil Narine and Andre Russell still in the team for the upcoming CPL season.
Pooran started to play with the franchise at the age of a teenager as he made his debut at 17 in the T & T Red Steel under Bravo. Such an early exposure predetermined his career in T20 cricket.
From Setbacks to Leading the Side
In reflection, Pooran talked about how he survived an accident that threatened his career in 2015. Later on, he was selected by Pollard in the Barbados franchise team where he played under him. The three of Bravo, Pollard, and Pooran would later meet at Trinbago Knight Riders.
They have not won a CPL title yet but Pooran believes they have a good chance in 2025. He is optimistic that he will end that wait in a year that could be a defining year to the team.
The years of the reign of Pollard as a captain provided TKR with stability and tactical abilities. The side has been the most successful team in the league winning the 2020 CPL title in an unbeaten season and making the playoffs in both the 2020 and 2021 seasons since they finished first in regular season in 2019.
Pollard’s Thoughts on the Transition
Reflecting on his tenure, Pollard said, “I got an opportunity to lead my home franchise for the last six years, and it has been special walking out leading Trinbago Knight Riders in front of packed stadiums around the Caribbean. I believe grooming the next generation is very important.”
He thinks that Pooran is the best option and he has been groomed to fill that position in several seasons. Pollard plans to stay on the field so that the new captain can adjust and continue with the winning culture that TKR holds.
Bravo Confident in Pooran’s Ability
The T20 credentials of Pooran are self explanatory. He is the youngest debutant in the history of CPL and has amassed more than 9000 runs in international leagues with an average strike rate of almost 149. In 2024 he got 504 runs in 11 matches with a batting average of 56.00 against TKR.
Venky Mysore, the CEO of Knight Rider Sports, had complete trust in the leadership of Pooran. He added that the presence of Pooran and Bravo as the captain and head coach respectively could be another successful season.
Bravo further said that the change of leadership is critical to the future of a franchise. By comparing this handover with his own change of the captaincy to Pollard, he finds Pooran as a player who is about to become one of the best T20 cricketers. Bravo believes that TKR has found a good manager in Pollard in the new chapter.
ALSO READ: Pakistan Batter Loses Cool After Run-Out Drama Due To Teammate’s Blunder- Watch
