Nicholas Pooran’s aggressive knock during the Lucknow Super Giants’ (LSG) IPL 2025 victory over the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) has been praised by former India star Aakash Chopra. “The Caribbean big-hitter appears to be Chris Gayle’s’miniature version’ and could be even more potent than the former West Indies opener,” stated the speaker.
As LSG set KKR a massive 239-run goal in Match 21 of the IPL 2025 at Kolkata on Tuesday, April 8, Pooran struck an undefeated 87 off 36 deliveries. Ajinkya Rahane and company were then held to 234/7 by the visitors, who won by a slim margin of four runs.
In a video posted to his YouTube account, “Aakash Chopra,” the former India opener reflected on LSG’s century and questioned if Pooran is the world’s most destructive hitter.
“He (Pooran) looks like Chris Gayle’s miniature version but has the same power, or you might say even more than him. Is anyone doing more clean hitting than him in the middle overs? I would say forget the middle overs as he now comes to bat in the powerplay at times, which wasn’t the case here. He is absolutely outstanding.”
Aakash Chopra
Chopra stated that the LSG batsman could have scored a hundred had he kept strike in the final few deliveries, and he attributed Pooran’s tremendous hitting to his faith and trust.
“He is able to do such good hitting because the bat flow is incredible. Hitting is also a lot about belief, and that belief comes from confidence. He is single-handedly carrying his team on his shoulders. He has befriended the Orange Cap now. If he had kept the strike with him in the end, he would have scored a century.”
Aakash Chopra
Nicholas Pooran’s undefeated 87-run knock included seven fours and eight sixes. He is now the IPL 2025 Orange Cap holder after scoring 288 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 225.00.
“I have never seen such consistency in Mitchell Marsh’s career” – Aakash Chopra lauds LSG opener’s knock in IPL 2025 win vs KKR
Mitchell Marsh (81 off 48) continued his steady run with the bat in LSG’s IPL 2025 match against KKR, and Aakash Chopra commended him in the same video.
“Mitchell Marsh is hurt. It seemed like he wasn’t that much interested earlier. It used to be ‘naam bade darshan chhote’ (big name but hardly any performance). However, this year, if you leave aside one inning in which he got out for zero, which anyone can, I have never seen such consistency in Mitchell Marsh’s career. He is hurt because he was bought for a small amount this year.”
Aakash Chopra
Aiden Markram (47 off 28) gave his team a strong start by scoring 99 runs for the first wicket with Marsh in just 10.2 overs, something the cricketer-turned-commentator also praised.
“Aiden Markram, a technically compact batter who is getting the chance to open. He also batted very well. He targeted the small boundaries. Strangely enough, it seems like they could become the most consistent opening partnership. One is technically compact and the other hits a lot of sixes. So they could be one of the most effective opening combine.”
Aakash Chopra
However, Aakash Chopra questioned Rishabh Pant for putting David Miller and Abdul Samad ahead of himself and failing to bat. The LSG skipper’s lack of trust is a problem, he said, calling the choice “bizarre.”
