Andre Russell and Sunil Narine Shine in Kolkata Knight Riders' Practice Session
Caribbean Duo Impresses in Nets Ahead of IPL Season Opener
As is the case every season, Andre Russell will be essential to the Kolkata Knight Riders' success if they are to finish in the top spot.
After arriving from Dubai (via Miami) at approximately 7.40 on Saturday morning, the Caribbean all-rounder and off-spinner Sunil Narine did not waste any time in hitting the Knight Riders nets during the team's evening practice at Eden Gardens. This was less than 10 hours after their arrival.
Russell arrived at training a little behind his teammates, and he eased into the game with a few medium-pace deliveries rather than bowling at full run-up. However, he did not take any short cuts after he started to bat because many balls that were pitched in his zone ended up in the galleries.
Similar to Rinku Singh, the Knights' primary middle-order batsman, Russell also engaged in a lengthy net session. He faced leg-break bowler Varun Chakravarthy and left-arm spinner Anukul Roy for nearly an hour of batting, having started with throwdowns.
Russell requested the removal of the nets from the center wicket, where he was batting, a short while later. After it was over, the powerful paced all-rounder appeared to be batting even more fluidly.
If Russell plays with similar rhythm in the Knights' home opener against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday, the team shouldn't really expect anything more. Furthermore, it has been reported that they were relatively satisfied with the practice fields provided at the Eden.
Similar to Russell, Narine, a fellow Caribbean, spent a considerable amount of time bowling and batting in nets. If Russell and Narine get along, KKR won't have too many grounds to be concerned.
On the other hand, Shreyas Iyer, the captain of the Knights, arrived here around 7:30 p.m. Iyer's participation for Sunday's practise match remains unknown, but KKR is optimistic about his presence starting with their season opener.
Mitchell Starc, the Australian pacer who is their "X-factor," is expected to arrive at half past ten on Sunday night.
Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Press Time staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.
