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Andre Russell Out? KKR Has 3 Reasons To Drop Star All-Rounder In IPL 2025 Match Vs GT

Anurag Dasgupta

Why Russell should be dropped [Source: AP Photo] Why Russell should be dropped [Source: AP Photo]

The 39th match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 will feature the Kolkata Knight Riders up against the high-flying Gujarat Titans at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata. Both the sides have had opposite journies in the tournament so far with GT riding high on confidence under Shubman Gill's leadership.

On the other hand, KKR are struggling at 6th position with 3 wins out of 7. They have plenty of problems ahead of their next clash but none bigger than the form of Andre Russell. The star all-rounder has been underwhelming throughout the season and time has come to drop him. Here are 3 reasons why Ajinkya Rahane should drop Russell from the GT match.

1) Struggling with bat so far

KKR's biggest strength has been the performance of Andre Russell with the bat. He comes in at number 7 and blasts quick-fire runs which in turn helps the team post or chase big totals. However, this season, the story has been different.

Criterion
Data
Matches7
Runs34
Average6.80
Strike-rate109.68

(Russell stats in IPL)

Just 34 runs in 7 matches with a strike-rate of 109.68, it has been a shambolic season for Andre Russell with the bat in hand.

He is known for big-hittings but that is missing from his arsenal this season as teams have dismissed him easily.

2) Rahane doesn't use him with the ball

Last season, Russell was KKR's MVP as apart from scoring runs, he also contributed with the ball, picking up 19 wickets in the process. Shreyas Iyer used him wisely, but Rahane has not shown any trust in him.

Criterion
Data
Matches7
Balls
39
Dismissals
5
Economy
13.54

(Russell with the ball in IPL 2025)

He has only bowled 6.3 overs in 7 IPL 2025 matches and this shows that the captain has no faith in him. Instead of a struggling Russell, the team could do in with an extra batter since KKR are struggling in the department.

3) Replacement is already ready

If Rahane drops Russell, KKR already have another West Indian lined up as his replacement in Rovman Powell. The West Indian all-rounder can be a great asset as he generally bats at number 6, 7, same as Russell and if needed can also chip in with the ball.

With Russell under-firing, KKR could do wonders by including Powell in the lineup as he could bring in the X-factor KKR is missing.