West Indies wicket-keeper batter Nicholas Pooran is poised to be retained by the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for a staggering ₹20 crore, as reported by the Times of India. This potential retention could position Pooran as one of the most expensive players in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

According to sources, LSG has chosen Pooran as their first retention pick, while the future of KL Rahul remains uncertain as the team opts not to retain him. However, Pooran's selection does not automatically make him the captain, as LSG plans to evaluate options, including potentially pursuing Rishabh Pant, depending on his availability during the auction.

The swift agreement to retain Pooran reportedly took just two minutes and involved consultations with mentor Zaheer Khan and coach Justin Langer. Alongside Pooran, fast bowler Mayank Yadav and spinner Ravi Bishnoi are also confirmed as retentions, with LSG likely to spend around ₹40 crore on retaining these key overseas and capped players. Uncapped talents like Ayush Badoni and Mohsin Khan will be retained based on prior agreements with the franchise.

In a related update, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are set to retain Australian batter Travis Head for ₹14 crore and young Indian all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy for ₹6 crore. With these two crucial retentions, SRH solidifies their roster ahead of the IPL 2024 auction, building on the strong foundation that led them to the final in the previous season.

As teams finalize their retention strategies, the excitement for IPL 2024 continues to build, setting the stage for a highly competitive auction.