Lucknow Super Giants on Thursday (February 29) announced West Indies wicketkeeper-batter Nicholas Pooran as the vice captain of the team ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.
LSG took to social media to reveal Pooran will serve as the deputy to captain KL Rahul, meaning Krunal Pandya, who served in the role, has been replaced for the new season.
Pooran, who was used in Quinton de Kock’s place last season, made 15 appearances, scoring 358 runs, including 2 fifties, at a great strike rate of 172.94. He has served in leadership roles across teams including the national team and will now serve in the role at an IPL side for the first time.
Krunal Pandya had stepped in for Rahul when the skipper was out of a few games in the first season as well as the second season. In six matches as captain, Pandya had a record of 3 wins and 2 defeats with one match ending in No Result.
Meanwhile, Lucknow Super Giants are very hopeful that their captain Rahul, who is currently out injured, will be available of the start of the season, which is schedule to start on March 22. The Indian batter is currently in London to meet a specialist for stiffness in his right quadriceps.
LSG are aware of his improvement and confident about the captain’s availability for the competition, according to ESPNcricinfo. The Super Giants play their opening match on March 24 at Jaipur, against the Rajasthan Royals.
The LSG skipper underwent surgery last year after “ripping apart the tendon from quadriceps” during fielding in an IPL match against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in May.
Rahul missed not just the rest of the IPL season, but also the World Test Championship final (held last June). Rahul then made a fine recovery, leaving his stamp of dominance in the Asia Cup and subsequently the World Cup 2023.