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Nicholas Pooran replaces Kieron Pollard as TKR captain for CPL 2025

The Cricket Times Desk
August 14, 2025
4 min read
Nicholas Pooran poses in Trinbago Knight Riders colours after being announced as captain for CPL 2025, replacing Kieron Pollard.
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CPL 2025: Nicholas Pooran takes over as Trinbago Knight Riders captain — baton passes from Pollard with Bravo as head coach

Nicholas Pooran has been named captain of Trinbago Knight Riders for CPL 2025, succeeding Kieron Pollard in a planned leadership transition that also features Dwayne Bravo stepping in as head coach this season. Pooran, who began his CPL journey at 17 with the franchise in its Red Steel avatar, returns to lead a star-studded core including Pollard, Sunil Narine, and Andre Russell, with TKR opening their campaign against St Kitts & Nevis Patriots on August 17.

It's Pooran Time

Pollard led TKR from 2019, delivering an unbeaten title run in 2020 (12 wins out of 12) and two further playoff appearances, before stepping aside to “groom the next generation,” with Bravo’s appointment as coach seen as the ideal moment to hand over the armband. Pooran called the role a privilege, noting the value of captaining with senior pillars still on the field: “Pollard is still playing; Sunil and Russell are here too — that’s a lot of experience I can bank on”.

Pooran’s relationship with the Knight Riders runs deep: debut in the inaugural CPL season, moves to Barbados and Guyana, then a return to TKR from 2022 — missing only the 2015 season due to a serious accident. Across 114 CPL matches, he has 2,447 runs at a strike rate of 152.27, underlining his value as a high-velocity top-order finisher and leader of modern T20 batting groups. His concurrent captaincies at MI New York (MLC) and MI Emirates (ILT20) add leadership heft to TKR’s dugout.

Pollard’s legacy and Bravo’s Gameplan

Pollard exits the captaincy with a decorated TKR resume and will continue as a player-mentor, easing Pooran into the role while maintaining on-field influence. The handover continues a leadership chain from Dwayne Bravo (2013–2019) to Pollard (2019–2024), and now to Pooran, reflecting continuity inside the Knight Riders’ leadership culture. As head coach, Bravo praised the timing and the choice, calling Pooran the “right captain at the right time” for the franchise’s next phase.

TKR’s 2025 Strategy

  • Leadership axis: Pooran (captain) with Pollard, Narine, Russell providing tactical ballast; Bravo to steer dressing-room culture and roles.

  • Style of play: Expect TKR to double down on aggressive powerplay batting and matchup-heavy spin through Narine, with Pooran’s finishing instincts aligning with Knight Riders’ template across leagues.

  • Targets: A fifth CPL title after a 2024 Eliminator exit — a result that sharpened TKR’s appetite for a refreshed approach without losing experience.

Pooran’s CPL performance and key numbers

  • CPL debut: 2013 (T&T Red Steel) at 17; missed 2015 due to accident; returned to TKR in 2022.

  • Career in CPL: 2,447 runs, SR 152.27, 114 matches — elite acceleration profile for the format.

  • Captain elsewhere: MI New York (MLC), MI Emirates (ILT20) — live leadership experience in top T20 ecosystems.

Opening fixture and schedule

TKR begin CPL 2025 on August 17 against St Kitts & Nevis Patriots, part of a slate that has the Knight Riders’ early road in St Kitts before moving to Trinidad and other Caribbean venues in late August and September. The tournament runs mid-August through September, with knockouts in Guyana and a Providence Stadium final on September 21.

Who Says What?

  • Nicholas Pooran: “It’s a privilege to lead this franchise… a responsibility passed from Bravo to Pollard and now to me”.

  • Kieron Pollard: “With Bravo as head coach, this is the right time to get a new captain in… Pooran is homegrown; we’ve prepared him for this”.

  • Dwayne Bravo: “Transition at the right time — Nicky P is the right choice to take TKR forward”.

What to watch on-field

  • Pooran’s batting tempo vs spin: The CPL’s middle overs will test how TKR structure innings around his acceleration window.

  • Narine’s overs and matchups: Bravo’s plans typically squeeze opponents with spin across phases; Narine remains central.

  • Russell’s finishing and role clarity: Balance between late-overs power and workload management determines TKR’s ceiling.

If the handover clicks, TKR enter CPL 2025 with rare continuity: new captain, old aura, and a coaching voice who knows their winning DNA inside out — a combination that has delivered trophies before and is built to chase another this year.

Key facts at a glance

  • New captain: Nicholas Pooran (replaces Kieron Pollard)

  • Head coach: Dwayne Bravo (replaces Phil Simmons; appointed for 2025)

  • Pooran’s CPL career: 2,447 runs, SR 152.27, 114 matches

  • Pollard’s captaincy legacy: 2020 title, 12-0 unbeaten season; playoffs in 2023 and 2024

  • First match: Aug 17 vs St Kitts & Nevis Patriots