Ahead of KKR game, DC’s Chris Morris issues challenge to Andre Russell

Caribbean dasher Andre Russell has suddenly become the cynosure of all eyes in Indian Premier League (IPL) 12 after playing two identical blistering knocks against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Kings XI Punjab (KXIP). The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder slammed an unbeaten 49 off 19 balls against SRH to take his team home batting second while against the Kings, he took full advantage of his dismissal off a no-ball to belt 48 off 17 balls to help KKR post a match-winning total.

From the next game onwards, KKR’s opponents will be definitely making a separate homework for Russell who has also been doing well with the ball. On Saturday, KKR will take on Delhi Capitals (DC) who have one win and one loss from two games. The two teams will meet in Feroz Shah Kotla where the home team lost to Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings by 6 wickets.

For the KKR, it will be their first away match and Shreyas Iyer’s revamped side will be keen to get back to their winning ways. That the build-up to the match was getting intense could be seen when the home team’s bowling all-rounder, Chris Morris, issued a challenge to Russell. “If he misses, I hit,” were the South African cricketer’s words.

Russell an ‘absolute genius’, says Morris

Morris though did not forget to praise Russell for his cricketing ability and called him an “absolute genius”. He said he won’t be divulging too many secrets and plans that he has made for Russell. Comparing his own role with the West Indian, the 31-year-old Morris said there are similarities in their roles but added that the KKR player has to do more in batting.

“He (Russell) is an absolute genius. It will be a case of ‘if he misses, I hit’. I won’t give away too many secrets. I might look like a duck, but my brain is working overtime and I will look to trust my training. We have got similar roles. He bats a little higher. Our job is to hit sixes and pick up wickets. But maybe he has a little more responsibility as a batsman than me,” quoted Morris, who is yet to play his first match in IPL 2019, as saying on the eve of the match.

Russell had missed in the game against Punjab and Mohammed Shami hit but yet it was not the end of the plot as the former returned because of the fielding team’s goof-up and the rest is history.

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