going places: Rinku Singh’s batting style augurs well for Kolkata Knight Riders. Here he takes on the Punjab Kings bowlers at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. , Photo Credit: KR Deepak
Jamaican all-rounder Andre Russell has praised Rinku Singh for his “fearlessness”, saying the batsman is fast becoming a game-changer for Kolkata Knight Riders.
Russell made a stunning comeback with a blistering 42 (off 23 balls) setting the stage for KKR’s five-wicket win against the Punjab Kings on Monday night at the Eden Gardens. But it was Rinku who sealed the victory with a four off the last ball.
This happened when Russell was run out on the last ball of the innings leaving Rinku with the task of scoring the winning runs off the last ball of the innings.
‘Big man, no worries!’
“Rinku, who has been successful for us in the last few matches, is a fearless player. Wherever you bowl, he has got a shot to counter him. I told him we need you and we need you right now and he said ‘Big man, no worries!'” Russell said.
“I’m not sure if I would have attempted a run in any other game, with any other batsman at the opposite end. I’ve never really done it before because I’d push myself to bat till the last ball and get the job done.” But if you have a batsman like Rinku at the other end, you can take risks.
On three powerful sixes bowled by Sam Curran in the last over, Russell said, he wanted to keep the run chase in the last over to a minimum.
“I was just thinking of hitting three fours to make sure we score the least runs in the last over because Arshdeep is a very good death bowler. Two-three dot balls could have changed the game. So we were looking to score maximum runs in that over. He said, ‘Six out of six in the last over was ideal for us.’
talking strategy
Russell said he tries to think like a bowler while batting and that helped him hit sixes against Curran. Karan was hitting on my body and I hit two sixes over long-on. I think like a bowler while batting because I knew he was not going to bowl in that area again. He had to do something else,” said the Jamaican all-rounder.
standing tall: Andre Russell returned to form with a 23-ball 42 to lay the foundation for KKR’s five-wicket win. , Photo Credit: KR Deepak
He said, ‘I missed the short ball he bowled (fourth ball). After that he bowled a slow delivery on the wicket and I gave myself that little room and used my hands to get it down the ground. That was on the short side as well,” said Russell about his third six which he sliced over backward point.
“I could plan for the opposition and was able to win it. T20 is tough and you need to be as calm as possible in any situation, both as a bowler and a batsman.”