IPL 2023: Virender Sehwag suggests change in batting order for KKR's Andre Russell

Kolkata Knight Riders' West Indian all-rounder Andre Russell has had a horrible start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 with the bat. Russell has managed only 39 runs so far in four matches and that too with a highest score of 35 runs.

With Russell being out of form, KKR have found it very hard to accelerate or maintain the pressure in middle overs, leaving onus on the likes of Shardul Thakur and Rinku Singh. Russell's struggle becomes even more glaring with KKR top-order not able to perform as well.

Speaking on the same, former Indian opener Virender Sehwag told Rohan Gavaskar on Cricbuzz that he had asked Russell top open batting in 2018 and he found success doing so in Caribbean Premier League (CPL) but doing the same thing with KKR is a bit tricky.

"He had a leg injury so could KKR have sent him as an opener? He wouldn't have had to do a lot of running and could have used the field restrictions to his credit," Rohan Gavaskar had asked Sehwag.

“I told Andre Russell the same thing in 2018. I told Russell to go domestic cricket and open. if you get success as an opener then you will become a million-dollar boy. And he did that. He opened in CPL, scored a century in one of the games and messaged me, But he was the captain there, the biggest player. He can take such risks and calls of opening the batting. But can he do the same in KKR? This will have to be decided by the coaching staff and captain," Sehwag replied to Rohan.

“He has no problems against fast bowlers, it's the spinners that can get him into trouble but if he gets set while opening the batting then he will get a lot more balls to play and he can become even more dangerous,” Sehwag further added.

In terms of bowling, KKR skipper only tossed the ball to Russell for the first time in the fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad. The West Indian made an impact instantly with 3/22 but had to leave the field after being injured as he fell on the ground post bowling only 2.1 overs.

KKR, chasing a target of 229, had a terrible start again but skipper Nitish Rana's 41-ball 75 brought them back in the match. Russell, however, managed just three runs as KKR lost the match by 23 runs.

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