Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to start its 12th edition from March 23. All the teams have been preparing pretty well to do their best. Though, it was a huge disappointment for Kings XI Punjab (KXIP) in 2018 as they failed to qualify for the playoffs after winning a couple of games. However, former New Zealand coach Mike Hesson’s presence as the coach will help the side to do better in the upcoming season.
Meanwhile, Hesson took to Twitter and shared his thought about the players. He praised the pacer Ankit Rajpoot and Nicholas Pooran. 23-year old West Indies’ Nicholas Pooran was bought by Punjab at the auction for Rs 4.2 crore and he will certainly prove his worth in the KXIP batting line-up.
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Our Head Coach saw a spark in our dynamic Caribbean Sher, Nicky praa, and has only good things to say about him.#SaddaPunjab #SaddaSquad @CoachHesson pic.twitter.com/Fqzz21QExy
— Kings XI Punjab (@lionsdenkxip) March 19, 2019
“I am sure you all are excited about him when you look at the numbers he is putting up around the world at the moment. Obviously, he’s just been introduced to West Indies one-day international squad. He’s been a dynamic performer around the scene with strike-rates nearing the 200s in some competitions. Left-hand bat, I would always call him a young Chris Gayle with that imposing nature. The ability to play spin and hit spin outside the park could play well,” Hesson said in a video shared by the official Twitter handle of KXIP.
Meanwhile, Gayle will also play for KXIP where he joined last year. Hesson also said about Pooran’s flexibility and thought that he can be played at the top of the order, as a finisher and also as a wicket-keeper. “He is an extraordinary addition to the squad,” the coach explained about Pooran, who has played only one ODI and 11 T20Is so far where he scored 218 runs.
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However, in the T20s, he has played 95 games and amassed 1,764 runs at a strike rate of 143-plus, including nine fifties in the format so far. KXIP will start their campaign against Rajasthan Royals in this IPL in Jaipur on March 25.
