Why Nicholas Pooran retired : West Indies star batsman Nicholas Puran has created a stir in the cricket world by saying goodbye to international cricket at the age of 29. The biggest reason behind this decision is his earnings. His earnings from international cricket were very low compared to the hefty amount received in franchise cricket. Puran’s move reflects changing trends in modern cricket, where players are getting attracted towards financial opportunities.
9 year international career
Nicholas Puran, who is known for his explosive batting and brilliant wicketkeeping, made his debut in international cricket for the West Indies in 2016. He won the hearts of fans with his aggressive style in ODI and T20 formats, but never played Test cricket. During his 9 -year career, Nicholas Puran played only 61 ODIs and 104 T20 matches for the West Indies. At the same time, during this time he also played in the Cricket League around the world.
Difference in earnings of international cricket and franchise cricket
The major reason for Puran’s retirement is a huge difference in earnings between international cricket and franchise cricket. He did not become a part of the Central Contract from the West Indies Cricket Board due to playing in franchise cricket. In such a situation, the West Indies Cricket Board used to pay them match fees. According to media reports, he received a fee of about Rs 1,96,946 (US $ 2300) (US $ 2300) for a ODI from the West Indies Cricket Board and Rs 1,48,566 (US $ 1735) for a T20 International match.
On the other hand, his earnings in franchise cricket are many times more. For example, in IPL 2025, Lucknow Super Giants retained him in a huge amount of Rs 21 crore. This amount is of a season, while he had to play for many years to earn so much in international cricket. Puran’s demand is also high in T20 Leagues, such as Caribbean Premier League (CPL), South Africa T20 League, and the ILT20 League. These leagues not only get a huge amount, but also gives a chance to play more matches in a short time. This economic difference is attracting many players towards franchise cricket, and Puran’s decision is the latest example of this.
Challenge for West Indies cricket
Puran’s retirement is a major setback for West Indies cricket. In the past, many star players, such as Chris Gayle, Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard have given priority to franchise cricket. A young and talented player like Puran can weaken the West Indies batting. Now the challenge is to find and prepare new talents before the Cricket Board. Along with this, it will also be necessary to make better policies to encourage players financially.