IPL 2019: Five bowlers who can neutralize Andre Russell

The 12th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which started early this time owing to the World Cup 2019, has already witnessed some breathtaking matches in its first couple of weeks. The cricketing carnival stood up to its reputation of being the best 20-over tournament in the world. One such highlight of the tournament, so far, has been the big all-rounder from Jamaica Andre Russell.

The KKR’s all-rounder has been on the rampage mode, effortlessly hitting the bowlers out of the park and single-handedly winning the matches for his team out of nowhere. The Jamaican has been in prolific form and has helped his team win matches from the jaws of defeat. In the last match against the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), just when KKR needed 53 runs off 16 balls, he scored an unbeaten 48 off 13 balls with 7 gigantic sixes and ensured his team’s victory with 5 balls to spare.

Against a player of such a calibre, all of the opposition’s plans fail, however, bowlers need to understand where Russel’s weakness lies. Kagiso Rabada showed everyone in the super over against KKR that bowling yorker length to the Big West Indian can tame him down. With Russell proving an unstoppable force, let us have a look at 5 such bowlers who could contain or stop the assault of Andre Russell.

Here are the five bowlers who could stop the Russell-force:

1. Kagiso Rabada

Kagiso Rabada has both the pace and the bounce in his bowling with an added ability to hit yorker length at will. In the tenth match of the tournament, the South African bowler found the Achilles heel for the Jamaican. In the super over of that match, the Delhi Capitals bowler kept bowling Russell in the blockhole denying him any room to free his arms.

The 23-year-old bowler had a better of Andre Russell by dismissing him, clean bowled, off a yorker that ended right at the bottom of the stumps at a brutal pace. He showed that if a yorker length is bowled to the 30-year-old KKR batsman at a good pace, then he might find it tough to smack it out of the park.

2. Lasith Malinga

The Sri Lankan speedster is known as one of the best bowlers of the shortest format of the game given the control he possesses in his bowling. In the match against RCB, the Mumbai Indians bowler showed why he is considered the best by defending 17 runs off last over with AB de Villiers still at the crease.

With his pace variations, ability to bowl yorkers and his unusual action, Andre Russell might find him tough to hit a six. Thus, Malinga has a chance to tame down the Carribean with his experience and pace variations as Russell might find him tough to read and end up lofting one of his slower ones or miss out on a yorker and get bowled.

3. Jasprit Bumrah

Jasprit Bumrah, unarguably, is the best bowler in the world across all formats. He is the spearhead of the Mumbai Indians bowling line-up and Rohit’s go-to person at the time of crisis. He has so many variations in his artillery with an ability to hit yorkers at will at a brutal pace. Even the best batsmen in the world find it tough to hit Bumrah out of the park given the angle he creates while bowling.

The 25-year-old can neutralize Andre Russell by mixing his pace or bowling yorker length to the West Indian and with the angle of the ball coming in, courtesy the weird action, the 30-year-old will find it difficult to free his arms and swing. One more option would be to come around the wicket and keep on hitting yorker length wide outside off stump.

4. Jofra Archer

In such a short span of time, Jofra Archer has made a name for himself in the shortest format of the game, playing T20 leagues all around the world with his economic and disciplined bowling and more than handy batting down the order. The 24-year-old has everything needed, in his bowling, to excel in the shortest format with an ability to vary his pace, quick bouncer and good yorker.

The Rajasthan Royals bowler might have an edge over his Windies counterpart if he shows discipline in his bowling and keeps hitting the right areas. Archer must try to hit the yorkers either at stumps or wide outside the off stump to cramp Russell for any room with a quick surprising bouncer. Also, the right-arm bowler must not get too predictable with his line and pace and should keep Andre Russell guessing all the time.

5. Trent Boult

Trent Boult is regarded as one of the best swing bowlers in the world who has the ability to swing both ways and that too at a quick pace. Also, at death overs, the left-hand bowler has the ability to hit yorker length and cramp the batsman for any room to hit him over the boundary. The 29-year-old has the ability to hit the same line and length at will and has good slower deliveries to complement his pace bowling.

The Rotorua born bowler should try to beat the Jamaican with his pace either with a bouncer or a blockhole length. Also, he should try left-arm around the wicket bowling to him and try to bring the bowl in with quick pace which will cramp the big boy for room and he might end up hitting the bowl to a fielder in the leg side.

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