New Delhi: Nicholas Pooran has reportedly signed the deal to be Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)’s top retention ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction. October 31 is the deadline for all ten IPL teams to reveal their final list of retained players ahead of the auction. With KL Rahul set to be released, Pooran has successfully clinched the deal to be LSG’s first-choice retention.
As per a report in Cricbuzz, Pooran was in Kolkata on Tuesday to meet LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka at RPSG group’s office where he signed on the dotted lines to become LSG’s first formal retention ahead of the auction. Pooran was LSG’s second-highest run-getter behind Rahul in IPL 2024 and played some impactful knocks for the franchise.
The West Indies wicket-keeper batter also stood in for Rahul as captain when the latter was injured. Pooran, who joined LSG for Rs 16 crore ahead of IPL 2023, has so far played 29 matches for the franchise and has amassed 857 runs at an average of 42.85 and a strike rate of over 175, including 5 fifties.
How much will Nicholas Pooran get paid by LSG?
As per Cricbuzz, Pooran is set to be retained in the top bracket of Rs 18 crore by LSG. While the franchise does have the option to pay the wicket-keeper batter more than the bracket set by BCCI, Pooran has agreed to a salary of Rs 18 crore as the no.1 retention.
“Pooran is committed to LSG, possesses a winning mindset, thinks deep and above all he is adaptable to the batting order and any match situation,” an LSG official was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.
As per reports, LSG have already finalised their five retentions ahead of IPL 2025. While Pooran is the top retention at Rs 18 crore, Indian pacer Mayank Yadav and spinner Ravi Bishnoi are likely to be the other two capped retentions for the franchise. LSG will also retain uncapped batter Ayush Badoni and pacer Mohsin Khan for Rs 4 crore each.
Overall, LSG will be spending Rs 51 crore out of their overall purse of Rs 120 crore on their 5 retentions. The franchise will head into the IPL 2025 mega auction with a purse of Rs 69 crore which will be good enough considering a lot of other teams might spend more than Rs 70 crore on their retentions. LSG will aim to build a strong squad from the rs 69 crore in their purse.
