HYDERABAD, India, CMC – West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell has credited the recent Caribbean Premier League campaign for his current batting form.
The big-hitting Jamaican produced an astonishing display of hitting to top score with 58 on Wednesday and fire Kolkata Knight Riders to a three-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings, in an all-Indian Premier League affair in the Champions League Twenty20.
“I was just being positive. Coming from the CPL I was just backing myself all the time. I was in a few of those situations for the Jamaica Tallawahs so I’m a bit used to getting the team over the line,” Russell following the contest at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
“Well done to Tendo (Ryan ten Doeschate) as well, he kept supporting me and we just kept rotating it. He told me to stay positive and we took it over the line.”
When Russell arrived at the wicket, Knight Riders were faltering badly at 51 for five at the end of the ninth over. However, he proceeded to haul the side back into the contest with exhibition of superb hitting, clobbering four fours and five sixes, off just 25 balks.
He put on 80 for the sixth wicket with ten Doeschate, who finished unbeaten on 51 from 41 balls.
“When you work hard in training it becomes natural so I’ve been backing in myself in the nets. I just go out there and back myself all the time. It’s all about being positive,” Russell explained.
“It was a very good wicket so it didn’t matter who the bowler was. There wasn’t much spin in the wicket so (Ravi) Ashwin and (Ravi) Jadeja, I backed myself against them to get the ball over the ropes. Whether it was the fast bowlers or spinners, it was all about confidence.”
The 26-year-old Russell has struggled to break into the Knight Riders side with consistency but said the performance now gave him added self-belief.
“This gives me a lot of confidence. Coming from the CPL, I’ve been winning games and it keeps happening so I want to keep winning games for KKR.”
