Russell batted at a remarkable strike-rate of 204.81 in last year's IPL.
More than the statistics, it is Russell’s unreal ability to hit sixes at will which induces fear in the opposition camp. He had smashed as many as 52 sixes and 31 fours in last year’s IPL.
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As the 13th edition of IPL draws closer, cricket fans are expecting Russell to do the same and it will certainly be a challenge for the teams to combat the Caribbean swashbuckler.
However, former KKR skipper Gautam Gambhir reckons there is one bowler who might be able to succeed against Russell in this year’s IPL, starting September 19.
“There might be two or three of them in the IPL who could trouble him but not beyond that. I don’t see bowlers other than probably someone like Jasprit Bumrah who can actually trouble Andre Russell,” Gambhir said on the Cricket Connected Show on Star Sports.
Andre Russell’s batting position for Knight Riders has been a topic of debate these days. KKR mentor David Hussey recently backed the big-hitting West Indies to score a double hundred in the IPL if he bats at No. 3.
However, with another quality T20 batsman in Eoin Morgan up their ranks, KKR will be forced to think out of the box as to how and where to utilise these two batsmen. Usually, Russell bats at No. 5 and 6 for the two-time IPL champions.
“Obviously, if you are in great hitting form, quality of cricket and quality of bowling might be different but Andre Russell is a confidence player. If his confidence is high, then the bowling does not matter,” Gambhir said.
“If someone goes in such big-hitting form to the IPL, I want to see how KKR uses him. Because now they have Eoin Morgan as well, who is in great form. So if you have two such international players, who are in great hitting form, left-handed and right-handed, then you can be a little flexible.”
Gambhir also believes that Russell shouldn’t bat anywhere below No. 5.
“KKR should not send Andre Russell below No. 5 in the batting order considering the form he is in. And the number should not matter, the overs should matter. Batting position is an overrated thing, six balls can change the entire match in T20 cricket,” he said.
“So at times, it is possible, that you have got such a good start, that you can send Russell even ahead of Morgan. It is not necessary to send him after Morgan. You can send him at No. 4 as well, it should be an over-oriented batting line-up rather than saying that you will not send him above No. 5 or No. 6.”