Andre Russell Is Known For His All Round Performance:
Andre Russell has always been a terrific hitter. His remarkable ability to find a boundary is unmatched; no one to face 1000 + balls since he debuted can equal his boundary percentage by 24.27%. Nobody scores faster than that. That kind of talent doesn’t go unnoticed, and as such Russell has always been a prized T20 and IPL hire, flying around the world on a short circuit, a star attraction rolling into a city near you.
But over the last 12 months or so, he’s gone up another stage. From the start of 2019, Russell scored a total of 10.84rpo (runs-per-over) and 11.68rpo at death; the average for all players who played in the same matches was 8.14 and 9.20. Russell averages more than two runs-per-overs quicker than those he plays on the pitch, facing attacks he faces. He may not fit the conventional cricket mould, but Russell is a genius.
The scores of 49 * (19), 48 (17), and 62 (28) lit up the competition, Russell taking his place on the bench as a looming bowling bogeyman, each player of Kolkata Knight Riders wearing a double-edged sword that takes him one step closer to the crease.
Looking at Andre Russell’s stats in the Indian Premier League reveals why bowlers from around the world don’t want to face him in a T20 game. The IPL of 2019 shows that once Russell-mania is released on the field, there is no hope for the opposition to bounce back. In one of the highlights of the last season, Russell broke an undefeated 48 in 13 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad to lead KKR to a thrilling victory on the verge of defeat.
Russell scored 510 runs in 14 games last year in the IPL with an average score of 56.66 and an average strike rate of 204.81. Overall, he played 64 IPL games and had a strike rate of 186.41. KKR left-hand spinner Kuldeep Yadav was asked about his bowling experience with Russell in the nets, and the 25-year-old explained why he found it a difficult task to do.
“To be very frank, I don’t like bowling to Andre Russell during the net sessions because you seem to get scared when he’s going to the big one, and sometimes he loses it and it’s going to come straight to you,” Yadav told the leading sports website.
“Difficult to adapt yourself, but well, if you’re bowling to him, you’re going to have a lot of practice in death row bowls or big-hitting batsmen. It’s a good experience for me, and he’s certainly one of the best T20 players, and we’re fortunate to have him, “Kuldeep said.
The two-time champions KKR will be looking to win their third title when IPL 2020 kicks off from September 19th in the UAE.
