Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have played 11 games in IPL 2025 so far. In those games, Andre Russell has batted only eight times. In those eight innings, the only time he has come out at higher than No 6 was against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) on Sunday, May 4. Russell was sent in at No 5, and he reeled off his most significant innings of this year’s tournament, with 57* off 25. It was invaluable in a game KKR won by just one run, to keep their tenuous hopes of a playoff spot alive.
“You can see some more fireworks like this”
At the mid-innings break, after having powered KKR to 206 for 4, Russell said plainly that if he got to bat higher, the world would see a lot more innings like this one.
“I enjoyed this role today,” he said. “If I keep going in a bit earlier, you can see some fireworks like this. Because the more overs I have, the more time it is to offset their bowling attack as well.”
And then later, he said, “My innings was crucial, and I think once I get those opportunities more often, I can put on a show.”
The question of how to best deploy a talent powerhouse like Russell has always been about keeping a fine balancing act. He is, without doubt, the most explosive player ever in IPL history. This is evident to anyone who has watched his impact, but also by numbers. For a minimum of 1,000 runs scored, Russell has the highest strike rate in IPL history.
Highest IPL strike rates (min: 1000 runs)
| Player | IPL Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andre Russell | 138 | 2613 | 28.40 | 174.20 |
| Travis Head | 35 | 1053 | 33.97 | 168.75 |
| Nicholas Pooran | 87 | 2179 | 33.52 | 168.39 |
| Sunil Narine | 187 | 1723 | 17.40 | 166.31 |
| Heinrich Klaasen | 45 | 1304 | 37.26 | 164.65 |
Three of the top five are new-age batters, whose T20 games have matured when the format had already evolved. Narine, of course, is the quintessential pinch-hitter. And despite having made his IPL debut in 2012 when scoring rates were vastly different, Russell still comes out on top.
This is even more stark when you look at it through a greater number of balls faced. After all, there is no guarantee that the likes of Head, Pooran and Klaasen will not experience a tailing off of form. So, taking a minimum of 1,200 balls faced in the IPL, Russell is streets ahead of the rest.
Highest IPL strike rates (min: 1200 balls faced)
| Player | Matches | Runs | Strike Rate | Balls faced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andre Russell | 138 | 2613 | 174.20 | 1500 |
| Nicholas Pooran | 87 | 2179 | 168.39 | 1294 |
| Virender Sehwag | 104 | 2728 | 155.44 | 1755 |
| Glenn Maxwell | 141 | 2819 | 155.15 | 1817 |
| AB de Villiers | 184 | 5162 | 151.69 | 3403 |
Russell’s planning and execution
Over the years, KKR have tried to time Russell’s entry to ensure he faces a majority of pace bowling, against which he is lethal. But he showed he could destroy spin too. He got endorsement from no less than Varun Chakravarthy. “He can hammer spin. We have seen it before, and even in the nets when we practice,” Varun said after the match.
Russell was on two off nine balls at the start of his innings, but because he had come in earlier, he could afford to take that time. His next 16 balls disappeared for 55 runs, and included smashing spinners and pacers alike.
“I never worry about a few dot balls here and there,” Russell said. “I realised the wicket was getting a bit of grip, especially Theekshana. I didn’t want to take such a big risk so early. When he came back to bowl, I licked my lips! I can make up in the back-end.”
“Playing so many games, you know which bowlers you can target and who you can take down. When there are five overs left, you don’t think ‘five overs’, you think ‘30 balls’. And if I face 15 out of that, with my power, I think I can get 40 runs off those 15 balls.”
It would help if Russell had the luxury of playing himself in. KKR bat deep, but when you have the most explosive player in the IPL in your ranks, you should give him the best chance to succeed.
KKR are in the last-chance saloon in IPL 2025, needing to win every match to challenge for a playoff spot. It was perhaps this situation that led to Russell coming in earlier than usual. That gamble might have just refreshed KKR’s memories of what Russell can do, if properly unleashed.