‘Thoda dheere se aakal aayi’ -Fans react as Andre Russell talks about representing West Indies cricket ahead of 2024 T20 World Cup
Andre Russell was a part of 2012 and 2016 West Indies T20 World Cup winning teams.
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Jul 19, 2023 2:24 pm
Andre Russell (Source: Twitter)
West Indies cricket is staring through some turbulent times. They were comprehensively beaten by India in the first Test at Dominica by an innings and 141 runs. The game ended in three days. When it comes to their limited-overs side, they sank to the lowest of lows when they failed to qualify for the 2023 ODI World Cup in India. The Men in Maroon lost to Zimbabwe, Scotland and the Netherlands in their qualifying matches. In these dark times, they have received a ray of hope and it has come from Andre Russell.
Russell has said that he would be available to represent West Indies cricket going forward and that he is willing to forgo his franchise agreements. The West Indies all-rounder was a part of two T20 World Cup-winning teams in 2012 and 2016. The 35-year-old has said that he would be aiming to make a comeback into the West Indies squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup that will be held in the West Indies and the USA. Interestingly Russell is taking part in Major League Cricket (MLC) for the Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR) at present.
There is an India series coming up and no one from West Indies said anything to me -Andre Russell
“I am available. I want to be a part of the next World Cup so that would be something special to me if they can add me to the squad,” Russell told the Jamaica Observer. “I am willing to play a couple of series to make myself available. I am not just going to turn up and say I want to play at the World Cup from nothing at all.” he added. Russell also said that he would like to represent the West Indies against India in the T20I series.
“There is an India series coming up that I would want to be a part of but no one has said anything to me and I am just minding my own business. I am just doing what I am doing — still training hard,” Russell further reiterated. Recently. Darren Sammy took charge as coach of West Indies in the ODI and T20I formats.
“We [Sammy and I] spoke earlier when he just got the job and he said that he wants to know what I am up to and what I am available for, [but] then everything stopped. I haven’t heard from him after that. Obviously, he was busy with the [50-over] squad at the [recent] World Cup qualifiers [in Zimbabwe] so I not going to jump to anything,” he further said. Sunil Gavaskar said that central contracts for West Indies players should be rescinded and they should be paid purely on the basis of performance.
Unpopular opinion :- Russell post 2019 is just a liability on any team, can't rely on his batting or bowling and fitness has gone down the drain Most of them times he makes runs in losing causes which helps in him having decent numbers till now.
