For all the Andre Russell doubters who feel he’s well past his prime, the burly all-rounder came up with a fitting reply in the form of his unbeaten 25-ball 57 that was key to the Kolkata Knight Riders’ slender win over Rajasthan Royals on Sunday.
Importantly for the Knights, Russell, at 37, still feels young. “Age is just a number. I still feel like I’m 27,” the Jamaican said during the innings break.
Credit also goes to the KKR team management for sending Russell in early at No.5 despite the wicket being slow, with some balls from the spinners gripping. “It’s not that Russell can’t hit spin. He can hammer spin, which we have seen at the nets.
“He took a different approach today (Sunday), which was very smart from him,” spinner Varun Chakravarthy emphasised.
“Besides, he feels he can still play another two-three cycles of the IPL. He’s fit and fine, and if you contribute to your team in franchise cricket, you won’t be questioned,” Varun added.
About his approach on Sunday, Russell stated: “They were bowling at good areas, so I didn’t want to play a risky shot early as I know what I can do in the back end. Also, the slower balls were gripping. The more overs I have, the more I can do.”
