On the face of it, Kieron Pollard may seem like one of the many genial giants of West Indian cricket. Not only is the characteristic Caribbean flavour evident in everything he does off the field, Pollard exudes the same nonchalance in the centre as well — whether it is taking a catch or clearing the stands with seemingly consummate ease. But the 22-year-old Trinidadian has almost single-handedly brought the Champions League — bereft of an IPL team — back to life by terrorising the bowlers at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad over the last one week.

“I’ve always tried to hit as hard as I can. During practice, the coach complains that I keep losing the balls,” says Pollard, who was drafted into the West Indian squad for the 2007 World Cup as a 19-year-old. “But it depends on the situation you are walking into. There are times when you have to play within yourself and there are times when you just have to whack it,” says the right-hander who has hit the highest number of sixes in the competition so far.

He might have a ‘20 v 20’ as part of his hairstyle, but Pollard, who has already played 15 ODIs and 10 international T20s, insists he is capable of adapting his game to all three formats. “One of the greatest openers in the world, Virender Sehwag, also plays the same way regardless of the format he is playing in. I believe in playing my natural game too,” he explains.

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