Gautam Gambhir says extended 'Russell Mania' under him could have got KKR more IPL titles

Former Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Gautam Gambhir, who led the side to two title triumphs, claimed that they could have won more summit clashes had power-hitter Andre Russell played under him for longer. With IPL 2020 shelved for the moment amid the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, the usual summer fireworks for the cricketing fans in India has translated from live-action to throwback videos and moments from the past. One of the prominent sights of the Indian summer includes the towering Andre Russell sending the ball out the park with his monstrous swings and sending batsmen back to the pavilion with his skills on the other side too. 

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'KKR could have won more titles...' 

Speaking on a television programme, Gautam Gambhir said that KKR could have possibly won more titles had Andre Russell joined the side earlier. The Caribbean powerhouse landed in the IPL scene in 2012 but rose to prominence in 2014 after he joined KKR. Gautam Gambhir, who captained KKR for seven years, felt that the side could have possibly won more titles had Andre Russell played under him for a longer time. 

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2019’s 'Russell Mania' at Chinnaswamy Stadium

On April 5, 2019, a Virat Kohli-led RCB side hosted the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in an all-important match. After winning the toss, RCB posted a huge 205-3 from their 20 overs on the back of a boundary-fest by Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Marcus Stoinis. In response, KKR were reduced to 139-4 after 15.4 overs.

Burly West Indian all-rounder Andre Russell walked out to bat when KKR still required a further 67 runs from just 26 balls. After scoring just a run from his first four deliveries, Russell then unleashed a furious onslaught of six-hitting display upon RCB bowlers. The right-hander blasted 48* from just 13 balls and guided KKR to a comfortable 5-wicket win over hosts RCB.

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