West Indies ka yeh swashbuckling batsman, jo apne explosive batting aur unpredictable style ke liye jaana jata tha, ab international maidanon se door ho chuka hai. 29 saal ki umar mein retirement ka faisla kisi ke liye bhi shock tha, khas kar jab baat West Indies jaise team ki ho, jahan talent toh dher saara hai, lekin consistency ki kami aksar dikhti hai. Pooran ke jaane se unke fans ke dil toot gaye, aur yeh soch kar dil aur bhi bhari ho gaya ki shayad West Indies cricket ab aur ek kadam peeche chala jayega.
Lekin is udaasi ke beech, Rishabh Pant ka ek heartfelt note jaise ek roshni ki kiran ban kar aaya. Pant, jo khud ek aggressive aur entertaining cricketer hain, ne Pooran ke saath apne connection ko dil se bayan kiya. Unhone Instagram par likha, “A true teammate, friend and an absolute powerhouse. Proud to have shared the field with you.” Yeh shabd sirf ek formal tribute nahi the, balki do aise khiladiyon ke beech ka gehra rishta dikha rahe the, jo dono apne apne teams ke liye game-changer rahe hain. Pant ka yeh message unke aur Pooran ke dosti ki ek jhalak deta hai, jo shayad IPL ke maidanon mein, khas kar Lucknow Super Giants ke dressing room mein, aur gehri hui hogi.
Nicholas Pooran ka career dekhein toh woh ek aisa khiladi raha, jo kabhi bhi match ka rukh palat sakta tha. 2021 T20 World Cup mein Australia ke khilaaf uski 75 run ki shandaar inning yaad hai? Jab West Indies ke top order ke tukde tukde ho rahe the, Pooran ne akela dum lagaya aur team ko ek respectable score tak le gaya. Us match mein Pat Cummins aur Mitchell Starc jaise bowlers ke saamne uski aggressive batting ne sabko hairaan kar diya tha. Lekin yeh bhi sach hai ki Pooran ka international career kabhi bhi us consistency tak nahi pahunch paya, jo shayad uske talent ko pura nyay deta. West Indies ke liye 61 T20Is mein 1848 runs aur 37 ODIs mein 1281 runs, yeh numbers acche hain, lekin shayad woh spark jo Chris Gayle ya Brian Lara jaise legends ne diya, woh Pooran ke bat se thodi kami si reh gayi.
Rishabh Pant, jo khud bhi apne career mein ups and downs se guzre hain, Pooran ke is faisle ko dil se samajhte hain. 2022 mein jab Pant ka car accident hua, toh pura cricket world ruk sa gaya tha. Lekin uske baad unki wapsi, woh Test matches mein fiery batting, aur IPL mein Delhi Capitals ke liye captaincy, yeh sab dikhaata hai ki Pant ka junoon kabhi kam nahi hua. Pooran ke liye unka yeh note shayad isiliye itna dil se tha, kyunki woh jaante hain ki cricket ke maidanon mein ek chhota sa moment bhi kitna bada hota hai. Dono khiladiyon ka ek doosre ke prati yeh respect dekh kar yaad aata hai jab 2019 World Cup mein India aur West Indies ke match ke baad Pant aur Pooran ek doosre ke saath hasi mazak karte hue dikhe the. Woh dosti, woh camaraderie, jo cricket ke competetive nature ke bawajood banta hai, wahi Pant ke note mein jhalakta hai.
Pooran ke retirement ke bawajood, unki legacy IPL mein aur domestic T20 leagues mein zinda rahegi. Lucknow Super Giants ke liye unka contribution, jahan unhone Pant ke saath dressing room share kiya, yaad rahega. 2023 IPL mein Pooran ne 358 runs banaye, jismein ek shandaar century bhi shamil thi. Yeh wahi season tha jab Pant team ka hissa nahi the, lekin unke dil se nikla yeh message batata hai ki woh Pooran ke talent ke kitne bade fan hain. West Indies cricket ke liye yeh ek nayi shuruaat bhi ho sakti hai. Young players jaise Shai Hope aur Rovman Powell ab zimmedari utha sakte hain, aur shayad Pooran ka yeh faisla unhe ek nayi disha de.
Lekin phir bhi, ek baat dil ko chubhti hai. West Indies cricket, jo kabhi Viv Richards aur Clive Lloyd ke dum par duniya par raaj karta tha, aaj kal apni purani shaan kho chuka hai. Pooran jaise khiladi ka itni jaldi international cricket chhod dena, shayad usi kahani ka ek aur adhyay hai. Jab tak West Indies ke system mein bade badlav nahi aate, jab tak unke young talents ko consistent support nahi milta, tab tak aise retirements aur disappointments aate rahenge. Pant ka note ek ummeed deta hai, lekin sath hi yeh bhi yaad dilata hai ki cricket ka yeh romantic aur emotional safar kabhi kabhi kitna bhari bhi ho sakta hai.
