‘Records only make headlines’- Lucknow mentor Gautam Gambhir reveals reason behind Nicholas Pooran’s lofty price tag

The Indian T20 League mini-auction brought many surprises to the viewers. The biggest however was certainly West Indies batter Nicholas Pooran’s winning bid by Lucknow Franchise. The former West Indies captain was paid INR 16 Crore to give his services to the Lucknow team in the upcoming Indian T20 League 2023 season.

Given that the southpaw struggled with form for the national team and did not do exceptionally well in the last season of the Indian T20 League, many were expecting a drop in the price tag of 27 years old. However, a whopping bid of INR 16 Crore at the Indian T20 League mini-auction shocked all watching the auction. Lucknow’s mentor Gautam Gambhir however has an explanation for Pooran’s high price tag.

“I don’t look at the last season. I look at the player’s ability and impact. This tournament is not about scoring 500-600 runs. That player can win you 2-3 matches in a season, and he has age on his side. If you can get such a player, you try your best to build your team around him,” Gambhir told JioCinema.

The World Cup winner has also laid emphasis on the longevity that Pooran provides for the team going forward as this would be just their second season in the league.

“I’m not only looking for this season, he also provides us longevity. Very less players in that age bracket (27-28) have that ability. Pooran will continue to get better as he plays. I always believe that records only make headlines but impact wins you the tournament, “ added the 41-year-old.

Impact player rule will shape the playing XI- Gambhir

Asked if Nicholas Pooran will play as a finisher, Gambhir had this to say.

“Finisher. I can’t tell you the XI. But we have Marcus Stoinis, Pooran, and Quinton de Kock. Moreover, we will now be having the impact player rule as well. We will make our XI in such a way that if we have to bring in a replacement, we can pick any of these players to bring into the match,” said Gambhir.