3 ways RCB can stop Andre Russell from scoring big in IPL 2024 clash in Bengaluru

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) travel to south India to take on the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in the 10th match of IPL 2024 on Friday, March 29.

Billed as one of the greatest rivalries of all time given that it is a repeat of the first game ever played in this tournament at the same venue back in 2008, this will be a match that will throw up spills galore.

One of the most vital cogs in the KKR wheel is Andre Russell, who provides them with a lot of quality in the lower middle order and also bowls handy overs when the going gets tough.

For RCB to achieve supremacy over KKR, they will have to contain the big Jamaican and not allow him to break free. If he does so, the Chinnaswamy will be too small to keep him, and most balls might land at the nearby Cubbon Park.

In this listicle, we give you three ways in which RCB can stop Russell from scoring big on Friday.

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#1 They need to stop giving him width

One of the ways in which RCB can prevent Russell from going big at the Chinnaswamy is by cramping him for room and not providing him with width.

Russell is known for expanding his hands through the line as well as outside off whenever width of some measure is offered to him. This is what the bowlers of RCB have to be on their toes about.

Russell is someone who possesses enough strength to hit the ball out of the park from anywhere on the pitch, but cramping him for room will take away some of his vital scoring shots.

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#2 They can introduce Mohammed Siraj into the attack

Russell entering the team hotel in Bengaluru. [KKR]

Mohammed Siraj and Andre Russell have a famous matchup, which has often gone the way of the former. The fast bowler has got the better of Russell on two occasions so far and conceded just 22 runs off as many balls in the past.

The Hyderabadi will be keen on getting the big Jamaican in this game as well, and for this, skipper Faf du Plessis and head coach Andy Flower have to trust him.

Siraj has been a tad expensive at the Chinnaswamy, and in this format of the game in general, but he will hope to come into the attack as soon as Russell walks out to bat.

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#3 Make him face left arm pace

Russell averages a lowly 27 against left-arm pacers in T20s, and that should give RCB an indicator of how to contain him in this game. This means that Yash Dayal, who will already have an uphill task trying to contain the maniacal Rinku Singh lower down the order, will have to challenge Russell as well.

If Siraj bags Russell's wicket in his spell in the middle overs, it will help RCB but if the Hyderabadi falters, Dayal will have to step up. Russell is not known to take well to left-arm seamers and will have to be on top of his game when facing up against Dayal.