The resurgence of Kieron Pollard!
Is this the start of Pollard 2.0? He was magnificent in the match against Kings XI Punjab as he smashed 83 runs off just 31 balls to win the game for the Mumbai Indians. He is 31 right now and is hoping for a comeback to the West Indies ODI team for the World Cup 2019. He was not included in the squad for 2015 World Cup which was widely criticised by people all around the globe. He made his ODI debut in the 2007 Cricket World Cup against South Africa. In the subsequent years, he has been in and out of the team on a regular basis. He last played an ODI in West Indian colours in 2016.
Kieron Pollard is one of the biggest hitters and there is no ground in this world too big for him. He came of age in Champions League 2009 when he destroyed the New South Wales bowling lineup by scoring an 18-ball 54 for Trinidad and Tobago.
With the ability to clear the boundary ropes with utter ease, he was a sensation in T20 cricket. He was bought by the Mumbai Indians in the IPL Auction in 2010 for an undisclosed amount. He has been a reliable match winner for T20 teams around the world. He holds the record for playing most number of T20 matches around the world.
What prevents him in getting a permanent spot in the West Indies team is his inconsistency to play big innings. If he sets in, then most of the times he would win the game on his own but the consistency factor is really important which is absent in him.
Over the years he has played some unbelievable knocks to get his team home. He is one of the best fielders around and also bowls part-time Medium pace. Fitness issues over the years have made it difficult for him to bowl because of which he has to rely only on his batting now.
He is also a good leader and led the Barbados Tridents to CPL victory in 2014. He also led MI to victory on his captaincy debut in IPL on Wednesday. He is one of the key players for MI. Whenever he has scored 300+ runs in an IPL season, MI has gone on to win the title.
He is one of the 2 players to play over 100 ODI’s but not even a single test match. Hopefully he can continue his form in the IPL and claim a spot in the World Cup squad.
When asked about the World Cup selection on Wednesday, Pollard said, “Every day I get the oppurtunity to play, I want to do my best. There has been a lot of turmoil in West Indies cricket over the last couple years but what we have seen in the last couple weeks, there is a change. The most I can do every time I step on a cricket field is try and put runs on the board. There are people who have the job to select. We see how that goes. I am 31 years, Chris Gayle is still playing, he is 39 and still whacking it out of the ground. There will be people in authority, new chairman of selectors, there is a new president of the Cricket Board as well and you take it as it comes. Last year, you might have not asked me this question but all sorts of questions will come today because I scored runs but for me it is just about enjoying cricket and doing the best of my God-given talent.”
He surely has what is required to be one the best players in the middle order, a little more composure would surely improve his performances. I feel that West Indies can win the World Cup if his bat fires. It would be very interesting to see how he goes about his business in the next few games.
