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The BCCI has finally released the schedule for the 2020 edition of the much-awaited Indian Premier League (IPL) on Sunday, September 06.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will be playing their first match against the defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) on September 23. Like every season, KKR squad is, once again, brimming with some of the most premier names in T20 cricket.
The coaching set-up of the franchise is headed by Brendon McCullum, the former New Zealand skipper. David Hussey will assist McCullum in the mentorship role, and Kyle Mills as the bowling coach of the side.
Hussey has opened up on the various aspects of the team composition and said that he is planning to promote Andre Russell higher up the order.
Last season, Russell was adjudged ‘Player of the Tournament’ for his terrific all-round performance in the IPL. He scored 510 runs at a spectacular average of 56.66 and picked up 11 wickets.
Hussey remarked that Russell could even conquer the 200-run landmark in T20 cricket if he gets enough delivery to anchor his innings.
“If it benefits the team and helps us win games of cricket, why not? If that means Andre Russell comes in at three and bats 60 balls, he might actually make a double hundred. Anything can happen with Dre Russ,” Hussey said as quoted by Times Now.
“A fantastic player, he[Russell] is probably almost the heartbeat of the team as well. “We’ve actually got really a well-balanced team… Anyone can bat in any different position. But if it benefits the team, why not, why can’t he bat up the list,” he added.
‘McCullum plays the game at 100 miles per hour’
Hussey further talked about the aggressive approach of McCullum and said that the latter is someone who believes in making things happen.
“Anyone who knows Brendon McCullum is aware that he plays the game at 100 miles per hour, and he tries to encourage the players to take the game on. So we’ve got players who can take the game on, players who can fit in the anchor role,” he said.
