IPL 2019 | If the situation arises, Andre Russell will bat higher in order, says Jacques Kallis

Russell is increasingly threatening to change the very basics of batsmanship in T20 cricket and made himself a phenomenon this IPL. In 10 matches this season, Russell has already scored 392 runs at a staggering average of 65.33 while striking at 217.77. After the game against Royal Challengers Bangalore, in which he almost took the game away from the hosts’ grasp, Russell complained that he needed to bat up in the order so as to maximize the returns and Kallis attested to the same by saying they can do the same if the situation arises.

"Rinku went in in the eighth over and we certainly haven't sent Andre in that early, in hindsight we could be sent him a bit earlier. It certainly hadn't been one of our plans but if the situation arises then it's something we'll think of. It's a matter of what the team needs in such a situation and what the captain and management come up with, and we feel where each player is suited to play. But like I said, if a situation arises where Andre or someone else can come up the order, we've got to perhaps try one or two things a little differently,” Kallis was quoted as saying by Cricinfo.

KKR have now slipped to sixth on the points table after the loss against Sunrisers Hyderabad over the last weekend. The franchise decided to drop Robin Uthappa and Kuldeep Yadav from the game against SRH after their underperformance against RCB. The team had a four-day break between that game and their next one, against Rajasthan Royals at home to regroup themselves, but the franchise decided to give a break to few depleted players. 

"We felt that the guys needed a break. They were given the freedom to do what they want for the next couple of days. It has been a disappointing couple of games for us, so we thought that guys can go away and do what they want. They could go home if they wanted to, and some guys felt they wanted to get a little practice which they couldn't get here, so they went to Mumbai. Our practices here are optional, so it's just about getting guys refreshed and mentally up for the game.

"I think they are frustrated, but I wouldn't say they are negative. They do realise we've still got a chance of qualifying. We've just got to play some good cricket. I've said all along that in this format, it's the little percentages you need to improve to turn things around and we're not far off. We just need to do the little things a little bit better."