Russell clears air on no-show against India
West Indies and Jamaican all-rounder Andre Russell says he wants to finally clear the air on his withdrawal from the West Indies team before
the T20 series against India in Florida.
Russell, who was initially named in the squad, pulled out just before the first T20, however, he immediately turned out for the Vancouver Knights in the Global T20 Canada tournament.
Cricket West Indies CEO said they had given permission for Russell to play in Canada as a batsman, and that his fitness would be monitored from there.
KNEE SURGERY
The hard-hitting right-hander would aggravate the same knee which he had surgery on recently during a net batting session in Canada, and he told STAR Sports in an interview yesterday that it was at that point he decided it would be best to miss the T20 series.
“I didn’t see myself coming back and limping around on an international ground, things that I could have gotten away with playing in Canada, I could not do that in an international game in front of millions of people,. If I limp, people are gonna say, Oh Russell is not ready, so I decided that it would be best to just not play at all,” he said
Russell added that he has been living off pain killers during his rehab, and he is a little disappointed that he still has not reached peak fitness after the surgery.
“I basically used to the GT20 tournament to test where I am at physically, I would say I am about 85 per cent right now and the other 15 per cent is just some stiffness in the knee, but I am pushing to be ready for the start of the CPL in the coming weeks and ultimately be fit again for West Indies duties in the future,” Russell said.
In the meantime, Russell, who was named Caribbean T20 Player of the Year, says the Windies can replicate the form they showed against England earlier in the year when they take on India in the first Test starting Thursday in Antigua.
“I see them doing well against India, based on how they performed against England, once they get off on the front foot and start well, things can happen. The new ball is going to be critical, if they can pick up early wickets and bat well, they can pull off a win,” he said.