West Indies head coach calls Pooran’s retirement a big loss and highlights rising trend of early exits due to franchise cricket.
In a move that shocked Caribbean cricket fans, West Indies star wicketkeeper-batter Nicholas Pooran announced his retirement from international cricket on Monday at the age of 29. The decision comes just eight months before the ICC T20 World Cup.
Reacting to Pooran’s announcement, West Indies head coach Darren Sammy expressed concern over the growing number of players stepping away from international commitments in favor of franchise cricket.
“My instincts told me something like this would happen,” Sammy said, according to ESPNcricinfo. “A talent like that—ideally, I’d love to have him in the team. But I don’t control anybody’s career. He told us early, and I respect that. We now have time to plan without him.”
West Indies’ highest run-scorer in T20 Internationals, Pooran dominates as a modern-day power hitter and ranks among the most in-demand players in global franchise leagues.
In his emotional retirement note, Pooran said,
“Wearing that maroon, standing for the anthem, and giving everything I had… it’s hard to put into words what that truly means to me.”
Sammy, a two-time T20 World Cup-winning captain, highlighted the broader issue facing West Indies cricket.
“I’m pretty sure more will follow. It’s the nature of the game now, especially for West Indies players. The challenges of keeping players motivated to play for the crest are real,” he warned, citing examples like South Africa’s Heinrich Klaasen and Quinton de Kock who retired early from international formats.
As West Indies looks to regroup for the upcoming T20 World Cup, Pooran’s departure leaves a significant void—not only on the field but also in the leadership core of the team.
