IPL 2021: Andre Russell back in form yet couldn’t lead his team KKR towards victory

Andre Russell hints at his return to form with the bat smashing 3 fours and 2 sixes in 20-ball 31 against RCB in match 10 of IPL 2021. The KKR all-rounder walked in at a difficult time when the team required 91 off 38 deliveries. Initially struggling with the timing, Russell found his sweet spot of the bat in Chahal’s over hitting a six and 3 boundaries in successive deliveries. Lack of support from the other end, made the impossible task tougher as the Knight riders lost the match by 38 runs. However, it could be a good sign for the men in purple that Russell has got some runs under his belt and gained some confidence with the bat.

The West Indian All-rounder, Andre Russell has played some fantastic seasons for the Kolkata Knight Riders since  2014. Known for his big-hitting and amazing fielding, Russell has won many games for his side, both with the bat and ball. He had a fantastic season in 2019 and was awarded the Man of the Tournament for 510 runs with an average of 56.66 and a strike rate of 187.79 and also picked up 11 wickets. However, he didn’t seem in touch in IPL 2020, scoring only 117 runs in 9 innings with an average of 13.00.

In IPL 2021, Russell has made a comeback picking 5 wickets for 13 runs against arch-rivals Mumbai Indians but still struggled with the bat which could have been the reason for their loss. The inning of 31 off 20 against RCB could mark the return of the power hitter and we could see some miraculous run chases and big-hitting from Dre Russ in the upcoming matches.