Daren Sammy expects more abrupt retirements like Nicholas Pooran

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SOUTHAMPTON, England, CMC - West Indies head coach Daren Sammy has admitted that he is not totally surprised by the recent decision by T20 superstar Nicholas Pooran to retire from international cricket at the age of 29.

In fact, Sammy said he expected more players to follow in Pooran's footsteps as they chase the lucrative contracts on offer from franchise cricket.

Sammy, who is currently on tour in Ireland with the regional team, said he had a hunch that Pooran was going to retire from international cricket before his announcement.

"My instincts told me something like that would happen.

"Nicholas sent me a text message, and so did I have a conversation with his agent as well. When we first spoke about the UK [United Kingdom] tour and the conversation I had with him, I did ask him, 'Are you unavailable for the UK tour only, or indefinite?' And from that response, I just knew I had to start preparing for the worst case," Sammy said.

"Ideally, a talent like that, I would love to have him in the team, but I don't control nor could I control anybody's careers... I wished him well, he wished the team well.

"It is [about] trying to move on now from planning a gameplan without Nicholas Pooran. With a World Cup coming ahead, I respect the fact that he told us early enough so we have more time to plan without him," he added.

Sammy also made the bold prediction that other West Indies players would retire early in their careers.

"I'm pretty sure more will follow in that mood, in that direction. That's the way T20 cricket is now, and especially coming from the West Indies, with the challenges that we face trying to keep our players motivated to play for the crest, so I wouldn't be surprised.

"You saw everybody talk about Heinrich Klaasen, Quinton de Kock, these guys who've retired. It's out of our control," Sammy pointed out.