Andre Russell’s retirement from the Indian Premier League (IPL) was hardly a surprise to anyone. Although he did not have a great time over the previous season, however, a great many people believed he was still capable of making it happen. The reason for such faith was the fact that he had single-handedly set a standard for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) during their 12 years together.
The Jamaican superstar has now shared his thoughts on the matter of his quitting the money-laden league. In an interview with Cricbuzz, Russell said that he did not want to wait for the right time and risk outstaying his welcome. His major concern was that he did not want to gradually disappear from the IPL.
“For instance, take Usain Bolt or AB de Villiers. There were a lot of fans asking ‘why’ when these guys retired while still at the top of their games. When I took this decision, I was convinced that it was the best decision for me at that time. I do not want to be forgotten; I want to leave a legacy. I think it is better to retire when people say ‘why’ rather than getting to the point where they say ‘Oh, yeah, you should have retired three or four years ago’,” he remarked.
Russell thinks the IPL is a very hard league
The KKR star has decided to not retire from other leagues but only from the IPL. He was asked if the IPL was more exhausting than other competitions, and he answered that the league was so big that it was necessary for him always to be at the peak of his skills.
“Absolutely! It is the number of matches and the travelling that make it so. You just have to recover and be fresh physically and mentally. The practice sessions should be light and your workload in the gym should also be less if you are an all-rounder. You need to go to the gym, you need to practise, but do not overdo it also. With a big league like the IPL, it is always a challenge for me as an all-rounder. I can only speak for myself, however,” said Russell.
Russell participated in 140 matches, where he amassed a whopping total of 2651 runs at a staggering strike rate of 174.2. Besides, he was also responsible for the fall of 123 batsmen. The sensational all-rounder is surely creating a history that will last forever in the league.
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