Pooran is new white ball skipper

Nicholas Pooran is the new captain of West Indies’ ODI and T20I teams.

The 26-year-old Trinidadian replaces Kieron Pollard, who retired recently from international cricket. Pooran had already served as Pollard’s deputy over the last year and has also been a stand-in captain leading West Indies against Australia in a T20I series in 2021.

Shai Hope is the new vice-captain of the ODI team, said a statement from Cricket West Indies (CWI). Kraigg Brathwaite remains Test skipper. Pooran said: “I am truly honoured to be appointed captain of the West Indies team. I am following the footsteps of several giants of the game who have created an amazing legacy.”

Pooran will take over full-time captaincy from West Indies’ tour of Netherlands later this month. Jimmy Adams, CWI’s Director of Cricket, said: “We believe Nicholas is ready for the challenge of leading our white-ball teams given his experience, performances, and the respect he has within the playing group. The Selection Panel believes that Nicholas has matured as a player and were impressed with his leadership of both teams when Kieron Pollard had been absent.

Following his T20I debut in 2016, Pooran has represented West Indies in 94 white-ball internationals and has over 3300 runs across formats. The appointment comes as he hits top form at the top level. He’s scored close to 500 runs in T20Is last year while continuing his form this year with 348 T20I runs at an average of 49.71 in 2022. He is currently playing in the middle order for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League.

“Nicholas Pooran is a specially gifted cricketer, and the right person to take over the white ball captaincy,” Ricky Skerritt, CWI President, said. “We are confident that he will continue to climb the leadership learning curve speedily, and successfully. I appeal to all West Indies cricket stakeholders to give Nicholas the support and encouragement that he deserves.”

Pollard is playing in the IPL franchise for Mumbai Indians. He wrote on Instagram: “As is the case of many young persons, it was a dream of mine to represent the West Indies team from the time I was a boy of 10 years and I’m proud to have represented West Indies cricket for over 15 years in both the T20I and ODI forms of the game.

“I can still vividly remember making my international debut in 2007 under the leadership of my childhood hero, Brian Lara. Wearing those maroon colours and playing alongside such greats has been a privilege that I never took lightly, giving my heart and soul in every facet of the game - whether bowling, batting or fielding.”

The 34-year-old Trinidadian added that captaining West Indies was “the highest honour bestowed” on him and that he led with “passion, openness, courage, and everything I could ever possibly give both on and off the field without ever compromising my principles and integrity.”

With a T20 World Cup coming up later this year in Australia and an ODI World Cup next year in India, CWI had already groomed Pooran for the leadership role.