Why Andre Russel Is Supremely Fit This IPL?

Andre Russell Opens Up About Kolkata Knight Riders' Support During Injury Struggle

By Sourav Jamnik | Published: May 22, 2024 08:13 PM2024-05-22T20:13:36+5:302024-05-22T20:14:33+5:30

Why Andre Russel Is Supremely Fit This IPL? | Why Andre Russel Is Supremely Fit This IPL?

Why Andre Russel Is Supremely Fit This IPL?

Next

Andre Russell is turning heads in the Indian Premier League 2024 with his all-around performance. This resurgence comes after a period of struggle with injuries, and much of the credit goes to Kolkata Knight Riders' commitment to Russell's well-being. During a challenging phase for Russell, KKR invested heavily in his fitness by arranging a special training camp at the Dallas Cowboys' facilities. After stellar performances in this season so far, a three-year-old interview video featuring Andre Russell on Sports Max Zone has gone viral, shedding light on KKR's dedication to his rehabilitation.

Watch three-year-old viral interview here: 

"When I got injured during the IPL, CEO Mr. Venky Mysore came to me and said, 'Russ, we want to do something for you, and we want to for us because we have invested in you, and you are going to be a KKR guy for a long time. So we want to make sure that you are fully fit because when you got injured, it's like two players got injured.' When he said that, I got goosebumps, but I felt messed up inside knowing that. I felt like I let down the team. These are all the things that I've been carrying on my shoulders. When I'm in the KKR team, they depend on me a lot, just like the captain or any other big player. I put my body on the line and say that I have to be better; I have to get fitter,” the 36-year-old Caribbean player said.

Read Also | Jofra Archer Backs Rohit Sharma Amid Star Sports Controversy on Player Privacy

“So, they organized with the Dallas Cowboys to make sure that they have a proper rehab set up, a camp set up. There will be a physio from KKR there to make sure that my body recovers after every session. I'm just happy and excited, and I can't wait to prove people wrong. When you see articles or comments with people saying all kinds of things, I kind of don't look at them anymore because it's kind of depressing. As a player, you don't want to see bad comments," he added.

Russell has scored 222 runs with an unbeaten 64 being his highest total. His strike rate of 185 is the second-best for the team, while his 16 wickets from 13 innings put him joint-third on the list of leading wicket-takers. KKR will hope that Russell continues his good form when they take the field for the IPL 2024 finals at Chepauk on Sunday. While Russell was part of KKR's IPL title win in 2014, he didn't play a major role. This time, he has the chance to become the architect of a KKR victory.

Read Also | Team India New Head Coach: Who Are The Top Contenders To Replace Rahul Dravid

Open in app