Andre Russell gave himself the perfect present ahead of his 30th birthday with an all-round show that not only earned him the Man of the Match award, but kept Kolkata Knight Riders in the hunt for a play-offs berth.
“We have given ourselves a chance. Hopefully, the result in the next two games will go our way,” said Russell during the presentation on Sunday.
The all-rounder’s 80 not out off 40 balls, besides two wickets, took him to No.2 spot with 486 runs, at a strike rate of 207.69, after David Warner’s 611 in the run-scorers’ list.
Russell listed his hand-eye co-ordination as the reason behind his wielding so much power into the shots.
“Hand-eye co-ordination, a good bat speed and balance are important... I generate a lot of power from the shoulders and core... Everything works together. You need to make sure your body is fit and strong in order to play those upward shots in those moments. When the bowler is trying to outsmart you with a wide or slower ball, you need to be strong,” explained.
Russell agreed that Sunday’s innings against Mumbai Indians will rank among his all-time best.
“One of my best T20 days, definitely. We needed to get 200-plus, but getting 232 was just enough. If it was just under 200, we would have been on the losing end. We kept our heads calm under pressure and executed our plans well.”
He said he was a fan of Avengers. “Yes, I am a fan of Avengers… I am watching it for a while. If the fans say that I am a superhero, I am happy,” he remarked.
Captain Dinesh Karthik was also happy for Russell. “Russell is a great player, he’s a special player and it’s good to see him grow as a player. The maturity he’s showing is great to see… We live another day, that’s important.”
But what was his message to the team once they lost six matches in a row.
“I think at the end of the day, you should make sure your process is right. It might sound cliched but it’s a high-pressure sport.”
Shubman Gill, who made a classy 76 off 45 balls, said Russell was promoted in the order to keep the momentum going. “I think because of the situation Russell came in early… To keep the momentum going.”
