Andre Russell... What is the first word come to your mind after hearing this name?
The big hitter? Russell Muscle? Or something else?
Yes, he is the man, who is currently on fire and his formidable form for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the 12th edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) left everyone speechless.
Cricket has been considered as a ‘Gentle man’s game’ but cricket has seen many controversies as well. From ball tampering to match-fixing and from drug usage to failure in the dope test, there are various ways to destroy the image of gentle man’s game and many famous players have been found included in these nasty incidents throughout the years. Andre Russell is one of them.
Having made his Test debut in 2010 and ODI and T20I debut in 2011 during the ICC World Cup, Russell has seen many ups and downs in his career. He came into limelight during the game against India. After being dropped from the first two ODIs, he scored unbeaten 92 off 64 balls, including 8 boundaries and 5 sixes, came into bat at 96/7 in the 3rd ODI at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. His 92* helped West Indies to reach 225/8. But his effort went in vain as India won with 22 balls to spare.
In the 4th ODI, he scored 25 off 14 (3 boundaries and a six) and took 3 wickets conceding 16 runs from 7 overs to dismiss India for 146, and the visitors lost by 103 runs. In the 5th ODI at Sabina Park in Kingston, he was awarded the Man of the Match as he bagged a 4- wicket haul by giving 35 runs from 8.3 overs to dismiss India for 251 in 47.1 overs.
Came to bat at the lower order, he never got the time to settle in the middle but whenever he has got the chance to bat, he proved his worth. Until 2015, his impact on international cricket was irregular. He last played for his country in ODI format in 2018.
He has a rather successful Twenty20 career. 2015 was his year only. From becoming the ‘Man of the Series’ to playing with the strike rate of 186.86 and taking 16 wickets from 10 matches in Big Bash League 2015-16, he has proved his ability as an all-rounder.
In 2013, he won the CPL title while playing for Tallawahs. The following year he won the IPL title with Kolkata Knight Riders, the Bangladesh Premier League title with Comilla Victorians, the Big Bash League title with Sydney Thunder and in 2016 and then the Pakistan Super League title with Islamabad United.
On August 6, 2016, He scored the fastest CPL century, which came in 42 balls, including 11 sixes. Later, he broke his own record in the same league with a century in 40 balls in 2018.
However, IPL has changed his game in a large way. He was bought by the Delhi Daredevils for a sum of $450,000 in 2012 but hardly got to play. Later, in 2014 KKR brought him for 60 Lakhs INR.
But his rather successful career faced a break when he was charged from anti-doping whereabouts by the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission. He had missed three tests in a 12-month period, which equaled to a failed dope test under the doping laws. He was found guilty and banned for one year from January 31, 2017 to January 30, 2018.
The whole 2017 year was a rather forgettable year for him as he had missed the NatWest T20 Blast, Pakistan Super League as well as the Indian Premier League.
After the completion of the ban, he came back with a bang. One year has changed him and made him a better person. KKR showed their faith on him and retained in the 2018 auction. He came back strongly, smashed 88 off 36, including 11 sixes against CSK and didn’t let down his franchise. Though KKR lost the game, they got their most valuable player in the squad with a blasting form. In 2016, he was their highest wicket taker with 15 wickets and finished the season with a strike rate of 164, playing 12 games for KKR.
In 2018, he was selected in the Global T20 Canada cricket tournament. Later, he played for the Vancouver Knights. In the same year, he was named for Nangarhar's squad in the first edition of the Afghanistan Premier League and then he was selected for Dhaka Dynamites team in the Bangladesh Premier League.
2019 has started a way bigger than 2018, as he scored a match-winning knock of unbeaten 49 off mere 19 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad in their first game of the 12th edition of IPL. It was nearly a herculean task as KKR required more than 50 runs in the last 3 overs and he showcased his power-hitting and claimed the win for his side. He again did it on 5th April 2019, during the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore, his blistering 48* off 13 helped KKR to register another victory.
An irregular player in the national side to rather commendable Twenty20 performances in every League all over the world, his transition is truly remarkable. However, a long series is still waiting and it is expected that we will see more such innings from him.
