West Indies’ star all-rounder Andre Russell is currently featuring in the three-match T20I series against England. The series began on 6 June, but the visitors suffered a 21-run defeat in the opener. Russell had a quiet outing, scoring 15 off 13 balls and recording figures of 1/25 in his two-over spell.
However, ahead of the series, Russell made headlines with comments made in a conversation with The Guardian, where he accused the West Indies management of “pushing him out” of the Test cricket set-up.
He said: “I believe in Test cricket, but at the end of the day, I’m a professional. It wasn’t part of my journey. I have no regrets because it wasn’t me that turned my back. I was basically pushed out of the Test set-up. They saw me as more of a white-ball player and that was that.”
Andre Russell has played only one Test for the West Indies
Before this series, Russell was in action in IPL 2025, representing Kolkata Knight Riders. When it comes to his Test career, he has played only one Test match, which came in November 2010 against Sri Lanka in Galle. In that match, he managed just two runs and picked up a solitary wicket.
In the same interview, Russell also expressed concern over how the longest format is treated in the Caribbean compared to other major cricketing nations. He claimed that Test players in countries like India, Australia, and England are supported much more strongly than their West Indian counterparts.
“I think when you’re from India, Australia, England, those places where they look after their Test players, it’s totally different to being from West Indies. Those guys (India, Australia and England) get lucrative central contracts to play Test cricket and play on the biggest stages, of course they want to play. West Indians? You might play 50 or 100 Tests and you know, after you retire, there’s not much to show for it. Of course, you want the possibility of living a comfortable life and taking care of your family,” Russell concluded.
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