The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are optimistic that Andre Russell will find form and contribute in the middle overs against the Sunrisers Hyderabad at Eden Gardens on Friday. The burly all-rounder, yet to bowl in this IPL, has struggled with the bat as well in the last two matches.

The Knights do have England white-ball specialist Jason Roy and the talented Bangladeshi Litton Das as alternatives. But it remains to be seen whether they would at all make a bold move and bench Russell, who has been a match-winner in the past.

“We don’t think Andre is underperforming. He played well in the first game (35 vs Punjab Kings) and then he had a couple of early dismissals. But he’s far from underperforming,” Knight Riders’ pacer Lockie Ferguson said on Thursday.

Aiden Markram. Santosh Ghosh & PTI

“We all know what Andre can do, particularly here (at the Eden). That was my first season (in KKR) and the first experience of Andre, and Jesus, I’ve not seen a guy hit a ball like that.

“I’m sure he will put up a show for us tomorrow (Friday) night.”

As for the Sunrisers, they would certainly wish to prolong Russell’s struggle, but they are also aware of the threat the Knight Riders spin trio — Sunil Narine, Varun Chakravarthy and Suyash Sharma — pose. “We all know that they are a class act,” skipper Aiden Markram said.

“We have got no doubt that they would play a massive role. But it’s about us having a plan against each individual.”

Backing Dayal

Ferguson backed left-arm pacer Yash Dayal, his teammate at Gujarat Titans last year, to come back stronger following his exclusion from the defending champions’ game against Punjab Kings on Thursday after being smoked for five successive sixes by Rinku Singh the other evening.

“It’s much more challenging for a death bowler. I know he’ll come back stronger.

“It’s part of the journey of being a death bowler. But he loves the challenge and loves the opportunity to bowl at that moment and he enjoys the privilege of bowling at a time when the game is in its last stage,” Ferguson emphasised.

Lockie Ferguson Santosh Ghosh & PTI.