Star all-rounder Andre Russell intends to repay the faith shown in him by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) team management ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022, set to begin from March 26. Russell, who had won the IPL MVP award in 2015 and 2019, is eager to contribute to the team’s success.
Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder Andre Russell warned his critics by saying he is ready to kill the negativity with kindness less than a week before the beginning of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Russell had struggled to make his mark in the last two IPL seasons when he was not fully fit, However, he has recovered himself well this time and will be looking to contribute more like he used to do for KKR in the past.
In a video shared by KKR on its Twitter handle, Russell said, “I am proud to be back. With this badge over my heart. During the last few seasons, you know, there has been a lot of talks. A lot has been said about me. But, what I will do to silence them is perform. You know, kill the negativity with kindness. And do what I do best in the middle. With the bat and with the ball, take brilliant catches.”
Russell, the two-time winner of the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award in the IPL, was retained by KKR for INR 12 crore. This will be his eighth season with the franchise, with whom he won the title in 2014. Since then, he has made a name for himself as one of the greatest finishers in the T20 format. He is known for hitting big sixes and turning the game within the span of a few balls, as well as a very handy bowling option.
“You know, my mindset is in the right place now. KKR has shown confidence in me. My ambition is all about making sure I do whatever it takes, whatever is necessary to make sure KKR gets over the line. It is all about having fun and enjoying every moment once I enter the field during the big games. During the big games, you get to showcase yourself and dominate in those games as well, ” Russell added.
Speaking about his approach for IPL 2022, Russell stated, “I want to free myself, do what I want to do, and make sure that I am happy. And if I fail, I go back to the drawing board, I will put in the work, assess where I went wrong in the last game, figure out what I can do better and execute that in the next match. Simple. “
The last season’s runner-ups KKR will have a new captain in Shreyas Iyer in IPL 2022, and they will open their campaign against defending champions Chennai Super Kings in the tournament opener on March 26 at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.0
