There’s an air of mystery around 21-year-old West Indies wicket-keeper batsman, Nicholas Pooran. For the uninitiated, Pooran rose to fame in the Caribbean Premier League after walloping a 24-ball-54 for Trinidad and Tobago. Indeed, his staggering performances with the bat meant there was no hesitation when it came to Mumbai Indians raising the paddle at the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction.

Pooran, to his credit, was humble upon his arrival in Mumbai, “I’m grateful for this opportunity and I appreciate it.” Speaking exclusively to mumbaiindians.com, Pooran was brimming with enthusiasm and underlined the importance of playing in a truly global league, “I’ve played in a couple of leagues around the world, but this (IPL) is the biggest league in the world. I’m looking forward to playing in the IPL, it’s everything a cricketer wants. For a youngster, playing in the IPL is a big achievement.”

For observers that have watched him closely, Pooran has garnered praise for his aggressive approach, and doesn’t hesitate to express himself, “I’m a very aggressive batsman, I love batting. I’m looking forward to hitting some big scores as well and showing everybody my skills.”

Pooran also said he was looking forward to playing under the tutelage of head coach Mahela Jayawardene, “Mahela is a wonderful person, he’s one of the best cricketers ever. ‘When you come to practice, you come to practice. When it’s time to work, it’s work time,’ according to him.”

And on his arrival to Mumbai, it took him no time to acquaint himself with his MI teammates, “There are a lot of good guys here, the atmosphere is amazing, the system is very professional. It’s just great for any youngster, it’s a wonderful opportunity to learn.”

The West Indies international touched down with complete focus and a drive that will catalyze success in the future, “My most important objective is to learn as much as I can and take this experience forward.” And with the will to learn assisting his rise, Pooran has a date with destiny – and he plans on getting there early.

Finally, Pooran issued a rallying call to the Paltan ahead of the new season, “Come out and support us, we have a lot of stars in our team and we’re expecting your support!”.