IPL 2021 Gautam Gambhir on Andre Russell's wicket

Former KKR skipper Gautam Gambhir spoke about Andre Russell's strange dismissal in the game between the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

A bluff from Sam Curran to bowl a delivery on leg-stump after setting a strong off-side field got the better of the batsman. Gautam Gambhir said that Andre wasn't expecting the trick delivery.

"For me, I think it was a bluff. I thought it was great thinking because the entire field was set as if he was going to bowl wide outside off stump. And Russell probably was preparing for that because Shardul Thakur kept bowling outside off and that too those full-length balls.

So he just probably attacked the leg stump and that's where it looked weird. He ended up leaving that because he was not even prepared for it," Gambhir said on ESPNCricinfo.

While Andre Russell was out on the pitch, things looked quite ominous for the Super Kings as the Caribbean all-rounder smashed the bowlers into all corners of the ground. Gambhir opined that the 32-year-old should have hung around a bit longer.

Andre Russell was on fire last night against CSK

"The way he was hitting the ball, I'm sure, he knew deep inside that had he played for another four-five overs, he knew that an off-spinner would never come on to bowl till the time Russell was on the crease," Gautam Gambhir added.

"KKR might have won that game had he defended that ball" - Gautam Gambhir

Russell and Karthik accrued 38 runs in the previous two overs before Sam Curran dismissed the Caribbean star in the 12th over. Gautam Gambhir said the KKR all-rounder lost a golden opportunity to take his team over the line.

"He had already smashed them for 24 in the first over, so I'm sure on his way back to the dressing room, he must be thinking that he lost a golden opportunity to score his hundred and also to finish off his game on his own, by the 16th, 17th overs," Gambhir added.

Gautam Gambhir also noted that KKR had a great chance of winning the match had Andre Russell defended that delivery.

"You don't get such opportunities often because you don't really play much at the Wankhede. He was smashing it. I'm sure he must be regretting it. Had he just defended that ball, KKR would have probably won that game," Gautam Gambhir said.

KKR were reeling at 31/5 when Andre Russell walked out to bat. With his 54 off 22 deliveries, he helped the team get to 112/5 in 11.1 overs before he getting dismissed. KKR lost the game by just 18 runs while chasing a target of 221.