No rush, just Russ: measured mayhem is KKR's new mantra

Andre Russell has built a reputation of being someone possessed with extraordinary abilities with the bat. That's why he remains at the centre of every conversation about Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). When KKR's top order does well and Russell faces only a handful of balls, questions are raised about why his potential was left unused. If he's sent in too early, critics wonder why a world-class finisher is being exposed ahead of time. And when KKR collapse and even Russell can't save them, the inevitable question returns: where has the old Russell gone?

So when Russell walked out at No. 5 in the 13th over with the score 111 for 3 against Rajasthan Royals (RR), a ripple of part-surprise, part-excitement flowed through the sparse Saturday crowd at Eden Gardens.

In the first ten games this season, Russell had batted, on average, 7.8 balls per innings and scored only 72 runs in 55 balls. It was an unusual point of entry for him since it was neither time for him to play the death-overs blitz nor for a back-to-the-wall rescue. He had deliveries to work with, the team was in a promising position, and with that came the uneasy thrill of the unexpected.

But Russell had spin to contend with first. Recent memories of Russell against wristspin - stumps rattled by googlies or sliced dismissals against the legbreak - don't paint a pretty picture, but those dismissals need context. KKR often found themselves chasing the improbable, or with too few balls left, forcing him into the zone of attempting big shots blindly.

This time, he was afforded the rare luxury of building an innings. And his plan for the day was evident from the first ball he faced, bringing out an exaggerated front-foot block off Riyan Parag. His first nine balls earned just two runs as he saw off a tricky Maheesh Theekshana over with one defensive shot and a few balls left out that were zipping past his outside edge.

Off Wanindu Hasaranga, who has a lethal googly, he got away from strike in his first opportunity, and when he had to face the spinner one last time, he brought out the block again to see off the final delivery of Hasaranga's night. Once the pacers returned, so did the Russell we know. He crunched 55 off the next 16 balls he faced to finish unbeaten on 57 off 25, lifting KKR to 206 for 4.

"I wasn't worried when I saw the scoreboard and saw I was on two runs off eight deliveries. I never worry about a few dot balls here and there," Russell said after the KKR innings. "I realised the wicket was getting a bit of grip, especially Theekshana. I didn't want to take a risk so early.

"My strong point is to get away the spinners as much as possible, but in the first part they were bowling in good areas so I didn't want to play a risky shot early because I know what I can do in the back end."

Saturday's innings was a reminder that Russell is more than just a slogger. Everyone knows it, but circumstances can sometimes betray the nuance in his game. Since 2022, he averages 22.70 and strikes at 140.12 against all types of wristspin in T20s. He's not uncomfortable against spin, just short on time sometimes. On this day, knowing a pace buffet was around the corner, Russell swallowed his pride, saw the bigger picture, and waited. With four of the final five overs set to come from the quicks, he later admitted he was "licking his lips" for the overs that would follow.

He tore into Akash Madhwal in the 16th over by mauling a six over cow corner, sandwiched between boundaries through square leg and cover. Never one to shy away from a contest, Jofra Archer came roaring in next, searching for two million-dollar deliveries. But he missed his length by mere inches, and Russell, deep in his crease, drilled a four and a six straight back past the bowler.

One over from Theekshana still remained - the 18th - but by then, Russell was well set. Defending was out of the picture. He faced only the last three balls of the spinner's final over, and sent each one soaring into the stands: over midwicket, down the ground, and beyond long-off. The Eden crowd had turned electric, Russell fed off the noise, and in the space of two overs, the conversation about the potential total had shifted. It was no longer about scraping to 180, but more about storming past 200.

A flicked six off an Archer full toss in the 19th over brought up his first fifty of the season in 22 balls. There was one more four off Archer to follow - a pull - before Rinku Singh helped hammer 22 runs off the final over with three big hits of his own.

After the game, Russell said he broke his plan down not by overs remaining but by deliveries left.

"I think the scoreboard is the best indicator," Russell said while collecting his 16th IPL Player-of-the-Match award. "Playing so many games, you know these type of situations - which bowlers to come, who you can target, and who to take down. I just think once you look at the overs and see five overs, you don't think about five overs. You think about 30 balls, and if you faced 15 out of that with my power, I think I can get maybe 40 runs from those 15 balls."

Such ability is the reason why KKR have never let Russell go since signing him as a 26-year-old in 2014. He's long wanted a higher batting slot, dating back to Brendon McCullum's tenure in 2019, but the opportunities have been rare . However, a combination of poor form for Venkatesh Iyer and Ramandeep Singh and everything to play for meant KKR put the trust in the second-most experienced T20 player of all time and the result makes one think why it hasn't been the case more often.

"We all knew about the importance of this game," Russell said. "When you have four games to go and it's like four finals you have to leave everything on the park and that's what I did tonight."

This was Russell at his near best: patient, powerful and perfectly timed. It was also a clear message for KKR for the games to follow. With three must-win matches to follow, surely this is the template for the remainder of the season.