Aakash Chopra lauds ‘phenomenal’ Nicholas Pooran in IPL 2025 win vs SRH

Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra heaped praise on Nicholas Pooran after he scored a splendid knock against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad on Thursday. 

Chasing 191 runs for the win, LSG lost the early wicket of Aiden Markram but that didn’t bother Pooran from taking the attack to the opposition. The left-hander cantered to 70 runs off just 26 balls with the help of six fours and as many sixes.

The southpaw scored his runs at a belligerent strike rate of 269.23 and completed his fifty off just 18 balls, which is the fastest in the ongoing IPL 2025.

“Nicholas Pooran – what a player, phenomenal player that he is. There is an extremely interesting thing about him. He didn’t score any runs straight. The mid-off area was empty, he doesn’t hit there. He is slightly different from Quinton de Kock,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.

Chopra also compared Pooran’s batting technique with KKR’s opener Quinton de Kock, who scored a match-winning knock of 97 runs.

“Quinton de Kock is a bottom-handed player whose bat comes from outside off. His (Pooran’s) bat also comes from outside off but it comes differently. He keeps both his legs close to each other and bends down. If you collapse your knees, the bat won’t come straight and will come from outside off. So the ball will go to the leg side, and he has got this phenomenal hitting ability,” he elaborated.

The reputed commentator also hailed Mitchell Marsh for scoring his second consecutive fifty in the tournament. Marsh scored 52 runs off 31 balls against SRH and added 116 runs for the second wicket with Nicholas Pooran.

“Aiden Markram got out. We had discussed yesterday that the focus would be on Markram as Matthew Breetzke is waiting outside, and the other opener, who plays as an Impact Player because he doesn’t bowl, Mitchell Marsh, he is smashing it and how. He is batting extremely well. He scored 52 runs off only 31 balls, with two sixes,” he said.

The former KKR player believes LSG veered off the track a bit after losing quick wickets in the middle.

“He started from where he left in Vizag. Vizag and Hyderabad aren’t too far either. Pat Cummins eventually dismissed him and then bowled a few bouncers as well. Rishabh Pant got out to a full toss. There was a no-ball check, but it wasn’t a no-ball. He was caught, and Ayush Badoni also got out after that. It seemed like this team might stumble a little,” Chopta observed.

Lucknow Super Giants will next take on Punjab Kings at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow on Tuesday.