You don't dominate him, he does! He's powerful and can muscle anything thrown at him. So be afraid! Fear the Russell-mania! The second match between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders in Chennai was nothing less than a package full of entertainment. Perhaps a page from a Rajnikanth movie.
The two teams smashed as many as 31 sixes inside 40 overs, and equalled the record of most number of 6s in IPL history. In the end, KKR ended up on the wrong side of the river, but one can not ignore the individual brilliance of the Jamaican all-rounder, Andre Russell, who hit an unbeaten knock of 88 from 36 balls. KKR were tottering at 89/5 at the 10-over mark, but Dre Russ stepped up to the rescue act. And he did in style.
Let’s glance through some records that he equalled, broke and surpassed during the course of his blistering knock.
Russell-mania
The West-Indian missed out on playing IPL last season. And boy what a way it was to make a comeback. Big-Dre not just rescued KKR’s innings, but single-handedly played one of the best innings KnightRiders have ever seen. His flurry of 11 sixes in a single innings for KKR is only behind Brendon McCullum’s 158* (13 sixes) vs RCB in 2008.
An equalizer
The Jamaican didn’t just pick the record of a former Knight, he also aimed to dismantle CSK’s record performance in their own den. The 11 sixes he smashed in his 88 runs knock also equaled Murali Vijay’s (vs RR, 2010) record of most number of 6s from an innings in Chennai.
Chepauk too small for the Knights
Despite the loss against the home side, our Knight made Chepauk look too small. It became more evident when he send one straight out of the park off Bravo’s bowling. Overall, Russell-led onslaught by KKR (17 sixes) saw them surpass their record of most number of 6s in an IPL match (14 sixes vs RCB, 2008).
Special treatment for DJ Bravo
Not long ago the Trinidadian all-rounder won the opening match of VIVO IPL, 2018 for CSK against Mumbai Indians courtesy to his own effort added with serious hitting lower down the order. But against KKR, Bravo was on the receiving end. He conceded an unwelcome 50, with the bowl, 40 of those runs scored by his fellow Windies player, Andre Russell in just 13 balls at a strike-rate of 308.
Inside DJ vs Big-Dre
Most number of 6s against a single bowler in a game - IPLs (against DJ Bravo) equals Virat Kohli (Six 6s against KC Cariappa, in Bangalore 2016 vs KXIP)
Russell not just muscled Bravo’s bowling during his innings, he also took down his record with the bat. He now holds the highest score (88*) while batting at number 7 and lower. Previous best was of DJ Bravo (68) against Mumbai Indians in the VIVO IPL season 2018, opener.
