Five balls into his maiden over in this IPL, Andre Russell let out a roar of despair. He had just dismissed Mayank Agarwal with the first delivery and put a leash on the run-rate.
But as Rahul Tripathi flicked the low full toss over square leg, he seemed to curse himself for leaking a soft ball. Such has been the commitment and dedication of the Jamaican all-rounder that he never settles for mediocrity. Russell had his revenge next ball as Tripathi top-edged the short delivery.
On Friday at Eden Gardens, he took it upon himself to put the skids on Sunrisers Hyderabad run-rate after Umesh Yadav and Lockie Ferguson had been carted around. But two overs into his first spell, he was on his knees, only to retire into the dressing room with the physio.
An over later he was back on the field though sprinting along the boundary ropes. The Jamaican has never been among the fittest but there’s no questioning his involvement in the game. Being injury-prone has also contributed in him having a shortened international career.
Having failed to contribute with the bat, a 35 off 19 in their opener notwithstanding, Russell took it upon himself to prove his bowling skills on Friday. Luck, however, didn’t favour him when he returned in the 19th over.
Having started with a wide, Russell claimed the dangerous-looking Abhishek Sharma but the intense heat seemed to have taken its toll on his body. Cramps forced him out again with Shardul Thakur completing the over. But three wickets in 2.1 overs showed that he can still weave magic.
The perfect team-man did come out to bat at the fall of Narayan Jagadeesan's wicket. He lasted a mere six balls before failing to clear the boundary. The disappointment at failing to pull off a significant knock will linger.
The Knight Riders’ decision to release Shubman Gill while retaining Russell had been the talking point a season ago. Could he deliver with the same intensity after having been troubled by knee and hamstring injuries?
KKR had even arranged a two-month fitness stint with Dallas Cowboys, the American football team, for Russell. Last season, he finished with 335 runs at a strike-rate of almost 175 and 17 wickets.
Insiders in the Kolkata Knight Riders camp, however, will always vouch for his loyalty and responsibility. There have been instances when he has been at the hotel gym well past midnight only because he missed out on a session earlier in the day.
A fortnight away from turning 35, Russell is struggling to keep pace with the format. He has held fort when peers like Kieron Pollard and Dwayne Bravo have taken up the mentors’ role in the dugout. But can he live up to the match winner’s tag? The answer lies with his fitness.
