Cricket Editorial Indian Cricket IPL IPL 2025

Andre Russell battling against time as KKR face now-or-never week

April 21, 2025
<a href="https://revsportz.in/author/boria/" rel="author" class="url fn n" itemprop="url"><img alt='' src='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e660b408ca5a915f1c718d0cd98a879b?s=32&d=mm&r=g' srcset='https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/e660b408ca5a915f1c718d0cd98a879b?s=64&d=mm&r=g 2x' class='avatar avatar-32 photo' height='32' width='32' decoding='async'/> <span class="" itemprop="name">Boria Majumdar</span></a>
Andre Russell for KKR (Image: IPL/BCCI)

In 2019, and an IPL season he made his own, Andre Russell had said to me, “The fans are the ones we play for. Every single year, they have been with us. Every game, they are there to support us. They want us to win. The Kolkata crowd is just fantastic for us and they always get out the best in us performers.”

These are the very same fans who have now started to feel let down by Russell. The Jamaican star hasn’t really found his mojo in 2025 and that explains why KKR aren’t in the top four. In fact, time is running out for him as I write this. Today’s match against the Gujarat Titans (GT) is pretty much now or never for KKR. And the same for Russell. They need to win the next two home games to stay in the hunt for the play-offs, and are playing two of the top teams in the tournament in Gujarat and Punjab Kings (PBKS).

Can Russell turn the clock back and get the job done, or is he past his prime and playing on reputation? With Rovman Powell sitting out, this is a question that is now being asked by the fans.

Soon after the retentions were announced in November 2024, Venky Mysore, KKR CEO, had this to say about Russell. “Andre is playing for us for close to a decade,” said Mysore. “He plays for all our other franchises as well, and has won many titles with us. He has won many MVPs in the IPL. So the truth is it was a no-brainer that he will be retained. It is also about the brand – he is identified with the purple and gold.

 

“The fans love him. And his contributions speak for themselves. So there was never any debate over retaining him. And that’s why we did not react. Even when Andre had the issue with WADA, we had a contract ready for him. He says that very fondly. You will see some of these players play for the purple and gold for as long as they play. That’s how it is.”

While KKR did their part by retaining him, the question to be asked is whether they have actually got a fair return on investment? In sport, it is eventually “winner takes all” and Russell, so far, hasn’t done much to repay the faith.

Some of my colleagues, who have regularly covered KKR games, have also raised questions about his fitness. Russell turns 37 next week. In every sense, it is now or never. Can he or can he not? Sport doesn’t care much for reputations, and Russell, despite his past heroics, will be no different. He hasn’t bowled much this season either – an economy rate of over 13 hardly inspires confidence – and that’s another thing that goes against him.

The truth is that KKR need Russell to step up. They need him to be at his best and deliver – a ‘finisher’ who potters along at a strike-rate of 109.68 is of no use to anyone. And the truth is, if he can’t, it is time to make way. Powell is waiting in the wings and deserves a look in. Russell against the likes of Mohammed Siraj and Rashid Khan tonight could well decide his fate in the ongoing IPL. And maybe give us a whiff of the future.