Robin Singh and Nicholas Pooran shape the ‘Royal Desert Champions’ for Abu Dhabi T10

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By K.R. Nayar

Dubai. Former Indian allrounder Robin Singh and West Indies’ explosive batter Nicholas Pooran have joined forces to shape a new team called the Royal Desert Champions, which will compete in the Abu Dhabi T10 starting on November 7. An evening spent with the team, its support staff and owners during the unveiling of their jersey at the InterContinental Hotel in Dubai Festival City revealed one thing: this is no ordinary collection of cricketers. It is a squad assembled to challenge, compete and, quite possibly, intimidate. Everything about the team looked professional, and the attention to detail was evident throughout the colourful function.

The theme of the Royal Desert Champions displayed at the team jersey launch funtion. Photo by K.R. Nayar 

Paying attention to the smallest details is the hallmark of a top team. The team’s colour is red, and they made sure that the entire venue wore that colour. There was no shortage of red, either on the stage or in the atmosphere. Red is not merely a colour; it is a warning to other teams that they are a danger to any opposition.

The team logo with a message appears during the function. Photo by K.R. Nayar 

The team name, Royal Desert Champions, itself announces three things – they intend to provide a royal treat, they are a power rising from the desert, and they have arrived with championship ambitions. Their tagline says it all: “Born Of The Desert. Built On Dreams.”

Robin Singh, who planned the team's dream. Photo by K.R. Nayar 

But dreams do not win tournaments. Planning, preparation and execution do. To turn a dream into a trophy, one needs the right people in the right places. Team owner Amit Narang and co-owner Saurabh Mehra have appointed Robin Singh as the Team Director. Since the team is born of the desert, it needed someone who knows the region, understands its cricketing culture and has a proven record of delivering results here.

The venue in red with the team's theme. Photo by K.R. Nayar 

Robin fits that description perfectly. The former UAE national team coach has groomed teams that have gone on to win T10 championships. He was the coach when Kerala Kings won the inaugural T10 League in Sharjah in 2017. In 2018 and 2021, he guided Northern Warriors to T10 titles in Abu Dhabi. Clearly, he knows the desert terrain, and more importantly, how to conquer it.

Think tank... from left Vasantha Kumar, CEO, Saurabh Mehra, co ower, Robin Singh and Amit Narang, team owner 

In all these editions, this writer, who was the event’s official writer, had asked Robin about his secret. Every time, his answer was remarkably consistent: “It is about playing positive cricket and executing the skills, and my job as coach is to instil confidence.” He repeated the same philosophy at the jersey launch when Namrata Sharma, the presenter, asked him about the brand of cricket his team would display. Robin has always believed that confidence is the fuel that drives performance. In a format where one over can change a match and one mistake can bury a team, positive cricket is not just a philosophy; it is a necessity. There is no time to brood over a mistake when the next delivery is already on its way!

Owner Amit Narang's message 

T10 is a fast-and-furious format that demands a captain with an explosive batting style, someone capable of demolishing bowling attacks before they can settle into a rhythm. Nicholas Pooran was the obvious choice for the role. His batting is not about gently negotiating the bowling; it is about making bowlers question their career choices! He has the power, range and audacity to turn an over into a run-scoring riot. His presence as captain is also expected to inspire the others to take the attack to the opposition. In fact, he has assembled a battery of big hitters who can set the stadium on fire. 

Muhammad Waseem, the pride of UAE and consistent explosive batter 

The line-up itself reveals why this team could prove to be a royal challenge for everyone. It includes Sherfane Rutherford, Gulbadin Naib, Luke Wood, Phil Salt and the UAE’s consistent hard-hitter Muhammad Waseem. The UAE’s young and promising allrounder and left-arm spinner Aayan Afzal Khan had recently gone past the 100-wicket mark in international cricket. It is a combination of international experience, explosive batting and youthful ambition. The team has not merely collected names; it has assembled a collection of players with different weapons for different battles.

UAE's young left-arm spinner Aayan Afzal Khan who crossed the 100 international wickets mark

Every player has been picked methodically, with a specific purpose in mind. The squad also includes Chris Jordan, Naseem Shah, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Brandon King, Janith Liyanage and Keemo Paul. Some of the best among the UAE players, such as Aayan Afzal Khan, Muhammad Waseem, Ali Naseer, Dhruv Parashar, Raizal Nadir and Tajinder Singh Dhillon, have also been picked.

Faisal Kohkhar, team manager with experience. Photo by K.R. Nayar 

In fact, even the team manager, Faisal Kohkhar, appears to have been selected with precision. He brings with him the experience of having served as media manager for the International Cricket Council, the Asian Cricket Council and ILT20 events. In a tournament where every delivery, every decision and every result attracts attention, managing the team's communication and public profile is no less important. Joy Bhattacharjya, the former team director of Kolkata Knight Riders and Head of Production at ESPN Star Sports, is the team consultant. His experience in cricket administration and sports broadcasting adds another valuable dimension to the set-up.

Joy Bhattacharjya with Nicholas Pooran and Robin Singh. Photo by K.R. Nayar 

Head coach Ravi Rampaul was not present at the jersey launch as he was on national duty with the West Indies. Speaking at the function, assistant coach Dhawal Kulkarni said that the way to win would be by “playing fearless cricket and being competitive at the same time.” Rayad Emrit, the bowling coach, said: “Bowlers will be under pressure (in this format), but we have a talented bunch of guys who will go out and enjoy themselves.”

Dhawal Kulkarni= Assistant Coach 

Pooran’s message to everyone was to “put your heart and soul into every match. When it comes to playing T10, everyone should have fun, but at the same time, be persistent.” It is an important message from a captain who knows what it takes to dominate the shortest formats.

Rayad Emrit - Bowling Coach 

A quick look at the international players in the squad reveals the individual brilliance they bring to the team. Sherfane Rutherford is a proven T20 finisher and carries with him an impressive record in major franchise leagues such as the IPL, PSL and ILT20. Phil Salt is an explosive wicketkeeper-batter renowned for his destructive powerplay batting. Chris Jordan is one of the most accomplished T20 death-over specialists and one of the best athletic fielders in world cricket. Luke Wood can generate pace, swing and bowl a variety of deliveries, giving the bowling attack another dimension.

Ravi Rampaul - Head Coach 

Naseem Shah is a pacer who became the youngest bowler in Test history to claim a hat-trick, achieving the feat at just 16 years and 359 days. His pace and aggression could make him a formidable proposition in the T10 format.

The colourful display of the team players' photos at the entrance to the venue. Photo by K.R. Nayar 

Maheesh Theekshana is their crafty, mystery-style off-spinner, capable of deceiving batters with variations and changes of pace. Dushmantha Chameera can bowl at speeds touching the 145-kph mark and generate steep bounce. Gulbadin Naib, a former Afghanistan captain, is an experienced allrounder who brings valuable international exposure and versatility. Brandon King is a stylish and powerful top-order batter capable of providing explosive starts. 

Presenter Namrata Sharma, who carried the evening

Janith Liyanage is a dependable middle-order batter and a useful right-arm medium-fast bowler. Keemo Paul is an athletic pace-bowling allrounder who adds further depth to the squad. Together, they provide the team with a variety of options in both departments. It is a bowling attack that has pace, mystery, experience and variations, while the batting line-up has enough firepower to make even the shortest of boundaries look smaller!


Royal Desert Champions will open their campaign in the T10 League against Emirates Eagles on November 7, the opening day of the tournament. They will then take on Arabian Aces, United Tigers, UAE Bulls and Yas Lions.

The Royal Desert Champions have dressed themselves in red and announced their royal ambitions. Now it is over to the team to make their opponents see red!

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