Eat, Sleep, Heist, Repeat.
This seems to be the ultimate mantra for Andre ‘The Giant’ Russell in this season of the Indian Premier League so far. He comes to the crease in the most arduous of situations, situations from which a win may seem nearly impossible for an ordinary man. But again, Russell is no ordinary man.
He never stops believing in himself. He never lets go of his belief to win the game just as a true knight would. And while doing so, he gets everyone around him to just sit, and admire the most sensational batting the cricketing world has seen in a while.
“You can’t see inside and say Russell is nervous. I am looking confident. I am looking in the bowler’s eyes and letting them know I am at the crease.”Andre Russell
It was IPL’s second match and the first one for the Kolkata Knight Riders. No team in the 11-year history of the tournament had chased 53 off 18 balls to win the game. The Knight Riders faced the same equation. But since they had a certain Russell in their side, they didn’t meet the same fate.
Russell came in and blasted 49 off 19 balls to take his side home. He smacked one of the best death bowlers in the world, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, for 21 runs.
In Kolkata’s next match against Kings XI Punjab, he came in and smacked 48 off 17 balls to lift his team’s total to 218/4 in 20 overs. KKR eventually won the match by 28 runs.
Delhi Capitals too, felt the burnt of his tremendous hitting. They had him early at the crease and would have hoped for a different result. But Russell again, stood up to the occasion and made a magnificent 62 off 28 balls, helping his team post another big total after tottering at 59/5 at one point. When he failed to take KKR home in the Super Over against DC, was probably the only time Russell seemed human this IPL.
The most stunning display of his batting came against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Just like their first match of the season, his team needed 53 off 18 balls, and KKR won the match with five balls to go. A feat which seemed impossible in the previous 11 editions of the IPL, was made a reality for the second time by the same man. Russell came and stormed his way to a 48 off just 13 balls. This time, his victim was another established international bowler, Tim Southee, who gave 29 runs in his over.
“You’ve just got to be pretty accurate against the likes of Russell, Dhoni, Pollard or Pandya because the pressure is always on.”Stephen Fleming
In the match against Chennai Super Kings on Tuesday, 9 April, Russell displayed another side of his, making yet another 50, but this time off 44 balls.
This edition of IPL has been lit up by the Caribbean all-rounder and both the fans and KKR would hope he continues this historic run.
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