Indian T20 league 2018: Andre Russell believes Kolkata bowlers could have executed better

The M.A Chidambaram stadium witnessed a run-fest on Tuesday as Chennai took on Kolkata in Match 5 of the Indian T20 league. Kolkata posted a mammoth total of 202 on board, courtesy Andre Russell‘s blistering unbeaten knock of 36-ball 88. His innings was studded with 11 sixes. Kolkata entered the second innings brimming with confidence. However, their erratic bowling costed heavily. Shane Watson’s early blitz of 19-ball 42 and Sam Billing’s 23-ball 56 changed the script of the game, handing yet another win to Chennai in a dramatic fashion.

Russell’s sensational comeback after one-year ban was upstaged with Chennai’s clinical show. In the post-match conference, Russell spoke about what went wrong for Kolkata.

Add Cricket Country as a Preferred Source

On bowlers execution: “I have played a lot of T20 games and seen scores of 190 and 200 plus, and you still lose the game. It was important to start well and important to bowl as tight as possible and getting wickets. I am not going to point fingers and say this guy didn’t bowl well or this guy didn’t bowl well. We just have to learn from this and take it another step. It showed that we need more yorkers and be more precise about what we going to bowl.”

On his comeback knock: “My confidence level is really high, once you are confident in whatever sport you play, that is all you need. This one year, it made me a different person. I have learnt to be humble and to make sure to be on top of whatever you do as a professional and make sure these things don’t happen again. I’m in good condition, won’t say 100 percent, but I’m happy. With a few more games, I will be where I want to be.”

On the Chepauk conditions: “It was a good wicket. I said to the guys in the huddle before we went out ‘guys, don’t get too excited about this 200 plus on the board.’ I was striking the ball out there and was unstoppable. We didn’t keep picking up wickets and that is what pushed us back. If we got maybe four wickets inside the first 10 overs, we would be in a better position.”