IPL:Nicholas Pooran on LSG IPL Journey, Rishabh Pant's Captaincy, and West Indies Cricket Challenges

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IPL 2025 Exclusive: Nicholas Pooran, the star player for Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL, sits down for an exclusive interview. He discusses his excitement about returning to the team, the transition to Rishabh Pant as captain, and the challenges faced by West Indies cricket. Pooran also shares his thoughts on the role of brands in cricket development and his commitment to entertaining the Lucknow fans. Don't miss this insightful conversation with one of the most dynamic players in the IPL.    #NicholasPooran #IPL2025 #T20Cricket #LucknowSuperGiants #WestIndiesCricket #CricketInterview #IPLNews #CricketUpdates #IPLPredictions #CricketFans  Also Read  RCB Vs KKR 2025 Tickets: How to Buy RCB vs KKR Match 1 Tickets At Eden Gardens Kolkata :: https://www.oneindia.com/sports/cricket/rcb-vs-kkr-2025-tickets-how-to-buy-rcb-vs-kkr-match-1-tickets-at-eden-gardens-kolkata-4098749.html?ref=DMDesc  CSK VS MI IPL Tickets: Fans Fume As They Struggle To Secure Seats For Chennai Match :: https://www.oneindia.com/sports/cricket/csk-vs-mi-ipl-tickets-fans-fume-as-they-struggle-to-secure-seats-for-chennai-match-against-mumbai-i-4098699.html?ref=DMDesc  RCB Vs CSK 2025 Tickets: How to Buy RCB vs CSK Match 52 Tickets Chinnaswamy Stadium :: https://www.oneindia.com/sports/cricket/rcb-vs-csk-2025-tickets-how-to-buy-rcb-vs-csk-match-52-tickets-chinnaswamy-stadium-4098087.html?ref=DMDesc    ~GR.344~HT.408~

Transcript

00:00So, a very special guest with us today, a swashbuckling player, a West Indies star and

00:06currently a representative of Lucknow Supergiants in the IPL, Nicholas Murali is here with us.

00:11Nicholas, first of all, thank you very much for giving one in your mic all the time.

00:15You know, back again for the IPL and for Lucknow Supergiants.

00:19How does it feel?

00:20Yeah, it's a wonderful feeling to be back here in the IPL, especially here in Lucknow

00:24where, you know, it's like my home now.

00:27I'm really eager to get on to the cricket field and see all the amazing fans here at

00:31the IKANA.

00:32You know, you have been a consistent performer for Lucknow Supergiants.

00:36If you can see that in the last three years that you have represented this franchisee,

00:41you have kept on scoring runs in an ascending manner.

00:45So, what are your, you know, what are your plans for this season and is there any change

00:50of roles that you have for this particular season as well, given KL Rahul is not a part

00:54of Lucknow Supergiants anymore?

00:55So, if you can talk us through that.

00:57I mean, Lucknow has welcomed me with open arms and I'm really happy that they gave me

01:02that opportunity a few years ago and, you know, I've said this in many interviews before.

01:07You know, the franchise, the owners, they invest in you, they really take a risk in

01:11you.

01:12You know, the IPL goes with auctions, price tag, obviously criticism and, you know, they

01:16have welcomed me with open arms.

01:19At no point in time I was under pressure and that's something really nice, you know, especially

01:23coming from different franchises where you obviously felt pressure as well, you know,

01:27from different aspects.

01:28And, you know, LHG has opened me and welcomed me and I'm really happy that I could contribute

01:34in a way that, you know, we could win games and obviously play an entertaining brand,

01:37especially myself as well.

01:39Obviously, the end goal is to be champions and obviously to be one of the most successful

01:44franchises in T20 cricket and, you know, hopefully, you know, this year we could continue along

01:48that journey and, you know, be the champions.

01:54Talking about the champions, because we have qualified for the playoffs in the first three

01:59years we have seen, you have been consistent, but, you know, qualifying for the final or

02:04taking the next step hasn't been there.

02:06So what particular things you think that needs to be improved to, you know, reach that ultimate

02:12goal, which is to win the silverware?

02:13That's a good question because I just believe that you don't turn up and win.

02:19You know, everything is all about preparation, understanding what needs to be done.

02:24You know, LHG is a new franchise, yes, they've played for three years, they've been to the

02:28playoffs twice.

02:29Obviously, we didn't qualify last year, but I think we're heading down that road where

02:33we understood, you know, what is required, what type of cricket we need to play, what

02:39type of players we need as well, how do we actually play at our home venue, how do we

02:45be successful there?

02:46And I just feel like, you know, we are making the necessary changes, or at least we're trying

02:50to make the necessary changes to adjust to the scheme and understand what we need.

02:55So hopefully, you know, this is the start of something special, our journey continues

02:59and let's see where it goes.

03:00When it comes to, you know, something, as you say, that it's the start of something

03:04special that you hope, a new captain at the helm this time, you know, from Gael Raul to

03:08Rishabh Pant, what have the talks been?

03:10You know, I know that you have already joined the pre-season camp, any particular thing

03:14that you want to share, or what talks that have been with you, along with Rishabh Pant

03:18and other players?

03:19Yeah, I mean, obviously we can't discuss what talks are happening, but Rishabh is there,

03:25a breath of fresh air.

03:28He brings something different to our franchise, obviously, he's a special, special human being

03:36and a player as well, and we're looking forward to see how he leads us.

03:40He has our support 100% both on and off the field and it's going to be an entertaining season.

03:46You both are a quite similar type of player, you and Rishabh, you know, both are southpaws,

03:50you know, both are hard-hitting players, both have been, you both have captaincy experience

03:54in IPL and you have been an international captain as well for West Indies.

03:58Anything, you know, any particular thing that you believe from your side that needs to be,

04:04you know, rectified for you guys to, you know, take the next step this season and any advice

04:09that you will be willing to give to Rishabh Pant?

04:11I mean, I'm an open book, he knows that, he knows he can come to me anytime, I can go

04:15to him anytime as well.

04:16We have that relationship, we actually have a good relationship, so we have no problem

04:19when it comes to communication there.

04:21He has my full support 100% and I'm there, I'm there to offer whatever service, whatever

04:26the team needs.

04:27I'm there, not only me, but you know, Miller, Eden, all our overseas guys as well.

04:31Yeah, absolutely.

04:32It's been, you know, you being a pillar of Lucknow Supergiants now, there will be expectations

04:37that there will be expectations from the fan as well to, you know, do well this season.

04:42So, you know, coming back, coming just, you know, just shifting from here to West Indies

04:46cricket, we saw that the Champions Trophy recently happening and West Indies was not

04:51a part of that, which is sometimes, it's a massive shock to be honest, because given

04:55the pedigree and the quality and the class that West Indies possess, the history, it

04:59was kind of a dampened thing that West Indies was not part of that.

05:05How do you think that you guys can, you know, revert yourselves back to that, you know,

05:11that level where you can compete for the best?

05:15I mean, again, it's a journey and this journey hasn't started today, it started years back.

05:22Obviously, we're in a tough position as a niche now, but we're trying, obviously, we're

05:28trying new things under Darren Sammy, you know, new president, new directors.

05:33We're trying, obviously, new things.

05:35There's a lot of international cricket happening, a lot of T20 happening around the world and

05:39availability of players, it's obviously tough as well and that's the direction, you know,

05:44cricket is going.

05:45So, it's going to be a tough journey, even for the next couple of years as well.

05:48But, you know, the past is the past, we need to think about the present and the future.

05:53You know, that's some good questions for, you know, the directors and the people in

05:57charge of West Indies cricket at the moment.

05:59You being a brand ambassador of direct pre-match as well, how do you think they have been,

06:03you know, along this journey of West Indies cricket?

06:07How do you see themselves playing the role in West Indies cricket's development in the

06:11coming years?

06:12And you being a brand, you know, a brand ambassador of it, how do you think it's going forward?

06:17Yeah, I mean, obviously, it's really nice to have, you know, brands, you know, around

06:22cricket.

06:23Obviously, that additional sponsorship and whatever way they can help, it obviously helps

06:27in development.

06:28I think that's a big key, you know, all this development, just having that financial support

06:34as well to help whatever direction, you know, cricket board, franchise teams, individuals

06:40want to go.

06:41You know, it's all about what their dreams are, and obviously supporting them 100%.

06:45Nikola Zahir Khan is your mentor, you know, and, but although he's a top-class first bowler

06:53of Indian, he's an Indian cricket legend, but we are seeing in terms of the Lucknow

06:57Supergiants squad, three paces of your team, Avesh, Mayank and Mohsin, all are currently,

07:02you know, their futures, their, you know, IPL participation is under doubt.

07:06So do you think that is a big blow for Lucknow Supergiants?

07:09Because the season is not just a week away from now?

07:11Obviously, it's a big, it's a big blow for us as a franchise.

07:16We would have tried to build our team around these guys as well, our bowling lineup.

07:21And obviously, it's unfortunate that they, they obviously, you know, injured at the moment,

07:26but it's not about how you obviously start a tournament, it's how you finish, and at

07:30some point in time, this tournament, they will be available for us, and, you know, we're

07:35waiting for the arrival as well, and obviously, Zac being here, an Indian legend, wonderful,

07:42wonderful left-hand seamer, that role model figure, he's a perfect guy for these bowlers

07:48to learn from.

07:49Yeah, exactly.

07:50And then just next two months here, we're very, you know, educational for all of us,

07:55not only myself, but for the bowlers, it'll be nice to see him interact with the younger

08:00bowlers and teaching them.

08:01Yeah, the final question on this, you know, a word on the fans, because they come in numbers

08:05to support Lucknow Supergiants, and what are your expectations from this season in the

08:10IPL?

08:11I mean, the fans have been tremendous, even from the first year we played here to the

08:15second year, they just keep growing in numbers, and, you know, we want to entertain them.

08:19We have a decent record at home, and hopefully this year, we can be much better as well.

08:23So we're here to entertain you guys, we just need your support so we can continue to make

08:26you guys happy.

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