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Pollard declares his BBL draft ambition

Having assumed the cricketers' model of a tennis player on the world tour since his international retirement, the West Indies great is back on a path to enjoying life and cricket

Kieron Pollard, T20 cricket's all-time games record-holder and second most prolific run-scorer and six hitter, has declared BBL clubs should only be looking at him as the No.1 pick in this month's inaugural overseas player draft.

The former West Indies white-ball captain has been down on fitness and form so far in 2022 but said he is back on a path to enjoying life and the game now he's been freed from the rigours of international cricket while also being one of the world's most sought after T20 free agents.

Plagued by a troublesome left knee and striking at well below his lofty standard throughout the first half of the year, Pollard faced calls to "reinvent" himself as he entered the twilight of his career.

His 144 runs striking at 107.46 for Mumbai in this year's Indian Premier League was the least productive of his 13 years in the competition and his average of 28.35 with at a strike rate of 123.29 so far this year is a shadow of his career rate of 151 runs per 100 balls.

From the Vault: Pollard mauls Thunder at the Showgrounds

But he responded how any great would, with a blistering 34 not out from 11 balls on Monday to guide his London Spirit to their second straight win to start this year's Hundred competition.

And Pollard, who is almost certain to be nominated as a platinum player for the KFC BBL|12 Draft on August 28, knows his routines and dedication to personal pride will keep him in the game as long as his body is able.

"These things happen, sometimes you lose form, you lose confidence at times and over a couple of games it doesn't work out," he told cricket.com.au from London.

"That gives (the media) the opportunity to dig out that stats and go 'you know, his strike rate is low, he can do this, and he can't do that anymore, he's finished, there's a new kid on the block' and all these things.

"But I'm never fazed by those things, everybody goes through that.

"I've played cricket for a long period of time, I know what I can do.

The best of Kieron Pollard in the field

"As long as the body holds up, the numbers will be there – the overall strike rate has not changed over 600 games."

Since his retirement from international cricket in April, where he had captained the West Indies ODI and T20 sides since 2019, Pollard has assumed the model of a tennis player on the world tour.

He has 'his guys' – a physio, trainer, massage therapist and a coach he hits balls with when back home in Trinidad between the various global tournaments he takes part in.

And while he may no longer hold the No.1 ranking, like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, with 600 career T20 matches (the first player to achieve the feat) and 15 career titles, it earns him automatic entry into any T20 league in the land.

"Training, keeping the body healthy, being able to be in the best possible nick you can be for the tournament is all about personal pride and that is something that I have," Pollard said.

"It's all individualised now rather than within a team.

From the Vault: Pollard rescues Windies with perfect hundred

"When I get within a team it's just a matter of fitting into their practice sessions and doing what is needed.

"I have a routine that I go through no matter if I'm playing international cricket or just playing leagues around the world to ensure that my body is in good tack.

"The last couple of months or so, the left knee has given me some problems (Pollard had minor surgery in June), but that's behind me now.

"For me, it's pretty simple life goes on as normal (whether I'm) playing international cricket or not.

"Because as I said it boils down to personal pride and wanting to go there and perform each and every time."

He said time constraints had kept him out of the BBL since 2017-18 but he has fond memories of his time at the Renegades, Strikers and South Australia Redbacks in the initial state-based Big Bash tournament.

Draft explainer: How clubs will recruit overseas stars in BBL|12

"Getting an opportunity to play (Big Bash) now and entertaining the fans is something that I'm looking forward to again," he said.

Pollard's availability window for the BBL is yet to be confirmed, but he appears unlikely to play the full season. Pollard was on Thursday confirmed to have signed up with the UAE's International League T20 competition, which is due to start in January.

The BBL|12 Draft will be held on Sunday, August 28 and broadcast live on Foxtel and Kayo Sports following the first ODI between Australia and Zimbabwe in Townsville.

Click herefor a full list of players to have nominated for the BBL|12 Draft.