New Delhi: West Indies head coach Daren Sammy believes Nicholas Pooran’s sudden retirement from international cricket underscores the increasing challenge of keeping players motivated to represent their national sides, and warned that more players could follow suit.
Pooran, 29, announced his retirement from international cricket on Monday, just eight months ahead of the T20 World Cup.
The swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batter is not only West Indies’ all-time leading run-scorer in T20Is, but also a highly sought-after player in the franchise circuit.
“My instincts told me something like that would happen,” Sammy was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo after West Indies’ sixth consecutive white-ball defeat on the England tour.
Sammy said he had already begun planning for life without Pooran following an earlier conversation with the batter and his agent.
“Ideally, a talent like that, I would love to have him in the team. But I don’t control nor could I control anybody’s careers… I wished him well, he wished the team well. It is (about) trying to move on now from planning a gameplan without Nicholas Pooran.”
“With a World Cup coming ahead, I respect the fact that he told us early enough so we have more time to plan without him.”
Sammy, who led West Indies to title wins twice in T20 World Cups in 2012 and 2016, pointed to the broader trend of early retirements in modern cricket and warned that more players could follow Pooran’s lead.
“I’m pretty sure more will follow in that mood, in that direction,” Sammy said.
“That’s the way T20 cricket is now, and especially coming from the West Indies, with the challenges that we face trying to keep our players motivated to play for the crest, so I wouldn’t be surprised.”
“You saw everybody talk about Heinrich Klaasen, Quinton de Kock, these guys who’ve retired. It’s out of our control.”
Pooran’s exit comes at a time when West Indies have been grappling with on-field struggles and questions over player commitment.
Sammy said he discussed the significance of playing for the West Indies crest during the team meeting ahead of the Southampton T20I.
“Surprised? No, I’m not surprised. I said something to the guys in the team meeting today: we don’t have control. It’s up to each individual… to understand what the brand and the crest means, and come out and play a brand that those people come and travel three hours to watch you play because of what the crest means to them.
“It is up to each player to go out and put in that type of passion out there. I could only speak about it, but I can’t force anybody to do it, just like I can’t tell anybody when to call time on their career.”
