'Impact wins you tournament': Gautam Gambhir explains why LSG spent Rs 16 crore on Nicholas Pooran

Lucknow Super Giants team mentor Gautam Gambhir has defended franchise’s decision to spend Rs 16 crore on Nicholas Pooran in the IPL 2023 mini auction. Pooran was picked for Rs 10.75 crore by Sunrisers Hyderabad in the last auction but only gave them 306 runs in 14 matches. LSG’s decision to splash money on Pooran was seen as a mistake by a number of experts but Gambhir has explained why the team went for the West Indian wicket-keeper batter. “I don’t look at the last season. I look at the player’s ability and impact. This tournament is not about scoring 500-600 runs. That player can win you 2-3 matches in a season, and he has age on his side. If you can get such a player, you try your best to build your team around him,” Gambhir told JioCinema. “I’m not only looking for this season, he also provides us longevity. Very less players in that age bracket (27-28) have that ability. Pooran will continue to get better as he plays. I always believe that records only make headlines but impact wins you the tournament.” The former India opener also revealed the role the cricketer is expected to play at the franchise after he was asked about the same. “Finisher. I can’t tell you the XI. But we have Marcus Stoinis, Pooran, and Quinton de Kock. Moreover, we will now be having the impact player rule as well. We will make our XI in such a way that if we have to bring in a replacement, we can pick any of these players to bring into the match,” Gambhir said. Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News ,  India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.