Daren Sammy reacts to Pooran’s shock retirement: “Not surprised”

West Indies's T20 former captain and head coach Daren Sammy has broken his silence on Nicholas Pooran’s sudden retirement from international cricket, stating that while the news may have shocked fans globally, it didn’t come as a surprise to him.

Pooran, the 29-year-old wicketkeeper-batter and former white-ball captain of the West Indies, announced his retirement from international cricket just a day earlier, sending ripples through the global cricketing community.

In a statement on Wednesday, Sammy acknowledged the development with a calm demeanor.

 “I’m not surprised,” he remarked, indicating that internal discussions or signals may have hinted at Pooran’s waning commitment to the international setup.

The left-handed batter, who had become a vital part of the West Indies’ limited-overs setup, shared the news through an emotional statement on his social media accounts on Monday, bringing the curtain down on an international career that spanned eight years.

“My instincts told me something like that would happen,” Sammy said, following West Indies’ defeat in the third T20I – their sixth consecutive overall on the tour.

“Nicholas sent me a text message, and so did I."

 I had a conversation with his agent as well… When we first spoke about the UK tour and the conversation I had with him, I did ask him, ‘Are you unavailable for the UK tour only, or indefinitely?’

And from that response, I just knew I had to start preparing for the worst case,” he added.

He emphasised the decision of Nicolas Pooran, citing that more players will follow due to the spread of T20 cricket around the world.

“Surprised? No, I’m not surprised. “I’m pretty sure more will follow in that mood, in that direction,” he 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,” Daren Sammy concluded.

Pooran’s departure will leave a void in the West Indies’ white-ball setup, especially as the team continues to rebuild under Sammy’s guidance. With the ICC Champions Trophy and T20 World Cup cycles on the horizon, the West Indies Cricket Board will now have to reconsider its plans for leadership and middle-order stability in the limited-overs formats.