Get Instant News Updates
Enable
x
Notification Settings X
Time Settings
Done
Clear Notification X
Do you want to clear all the notifications from your inbox?
Settings X
For Quick Alerts
ALLOW NOTIFICATIONS  
For Daily Alerts
 

Andre Russell says playing in IPL gives him most goosebumps, wants to retire in KKR

During KKR's official 'Knights Unplugged' online show, the 32-year-old Jamaican says IPL and CPL give him the creeps, but its felt a lot more in the Indian Premier League

Andre Russell

Kolkata, May 3: West Indies all-rounder Andre Russell says playing at the Eden Gardens in the IPL is where he gets the "most goosebumps" and wants to retire in Kolkata Knight Riders.

During KKR's official 'Knights Unplugged' online show, the 32-year-old Jamaican says IPL and CPL give him the creeps, but its felt a lot more in the Indian Premier League, which has been suspended indefinitely owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

"Let me confess something, IPL is where I get the most goosebumps. I get that in CPL (Caribbean Premier League) as well but when it comes to playing in IPL, especially Eden Gardens, there is no comparison," Russell said referring to his team's home ground in Kolkata.

"...the welcome I get, that's love. It puts pressure on me but it's good pressure," he added.

Russell said the noisiest Eden crowd has been supportive towards him even when he hasn't exactly delivered and that's why it's the one place, he would like to call it quits as and when he does.

"I would love to be at KKR until that moment when I say that this will be my last IPL. I have been at KKR for six seasons and I enjoyed every bit of it," he said.

"I know even if I fail two games straight, when I come out to bat for the third game, it is the same deafening reaction I will get from the crowd. It's always a welcoming thing," he said.

Russell also spoke about how he has dealt with being away from his new-born daughter and wife, who were in Miami when the coronavirus-forced travel restrictions came into force globally.

"She (his daughter) and Jassym, they are both in Miami. I stay connected to them and talk to them. I wish I could have them here, but with all these travel restrictions, we cannot do anything," he said.

"It's not really a situation anyone would want to be in. This is affecting the world, it's affecting me, preventing me from hitting sixes. Hope this thing calms down in a month or two and we can go back to normal life again."

Story first published: Sunday, May 3, 2020, 14:08 [IST]
Other articles published on May 3, 2020