"We are not going in the game focusing on just Jos Buttler" - Andre Russell on KKR's crucial tie against RR in IPL 2022

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Andre Russell stated that the franchise are not focusing solely on Jos Buttler in their preparation for the contest against the Rajasthan Royals (RR).

The two-time winners are on a five-match losing streak in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season. They are languishing in the bottom half of the IPL point table.

One of KKR's major obstacles in their pursuit of two points tonight will be Jos Buttler. The Englishman has been in sublime form in the tournament, already amassing 566 runs in just nine matches. Moreover, the wicket-keeper batter scored a ton in the reverse fixture at the Brabourne Stadium.

Opining that they cannot relax even if they dismiss Jos Buttler early, Andre Russell told KKR.in:

“We know what their bowlers will look to do and who we need to focus on. Jos Buttler is the one who hurt is in that game. We are not going in the game focusing on just Jos Buttler because if it’s not his day, we can’t get him out cheaply, celebrate big and pretend that we have won the game.”

KKR have slid off the rails following a bright start to the tournament. The Shreyas Iyer-led side are arguably still finding their best playing XI and have been the team to introduce the most number of changes to their side.

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"If we keep believing, we can win the next five on the chart" - KKR all-rounder Andre Russell

KKR are at risk of missing out on the playoffs for the third time in the last four years if they do not gather some serious momentum. The IPL team were placed in a similar situation last year at the end of the first leg of the competition. However, they strung together a series of wins in the second leg in the UAE and managed to finish as runners-up.

Believing that the key is to take one game at a time and keep belief in themselves, Andre Russell said:

“We have lost five on the chart but if we keep believing, we can win the next five on the chart. We just have to take one game at a time and try to learn from our mistakes.”

The West Indian all-rounder concluded:

“We still have a chance and we just have to play our best brand of cricket. We have to be a bit more fearless in terms of decision-making. We have to do whatever it takes to do something different and get those two points. We all have to come together as a unit and do it.”

Andre Russell will play a key role when KKR face RR tonight at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai from 7:30 PM onwards.