‘I wouldn’t have run if it wasn't Rinku': Russell's revelation on last-over run-out vs PBKS

You would back Andre Russell to score 2 runs off 1 ball to win the match for your team 9 times out of 10. Especially after he smoked three sixes in the previous over to get your noses in front. But on Monday, in Kolkata Knight Riders' run-chase vs Punjab Kings, Russell himself ran for bye to get to the non-striker's end after getting beaten by Arshdeep Singh in the penultimate ball of the match.

KKR needed 2 off 2 when Arshdeep landed a perfect wide yorker. It was not possible for even a rampaging Russell to get underneath it. The KKR star failed to make contact and the ball landed in PBKS keeper Jitesh Sharma's gloves. To everyone's surprise, Rink Singh, the non-striker came charging down in an attempt to sneak in a single. Russell, despite being late, responded but could not reach the other end before Arshdeep knocked the stumps down.

Thankfully for KKR, Rinku hit the last ball for a boundary to seal a five-wicket win for KKR. But the question is, was losing Russell's wicket worth it? Did Rinku commit a mistake? He clearly didn't. After KKR's nerve-wracking last-ball win, Russell said he had full confidence in Rinku.

Also Read | '10 matches have gone…': Nitish Rana reacts on Andre Russell's return to form

"Definitely in any other game, with any other batter, I'm not sure if I would have run. I've never really done those things before. I would back myself to bat till the last delivery and get the job done. But when you have a batter like Rinku at the other end and who has been successful in the last few games for us, I was definitely confident. He is just a fearless player, wherever you bowl he has a shot to counter that. I told him we need you and we need you at this point. He said, 'big man no worries', so happy days," Russell said in the post-match press conference.

Rinku has been a revelation for the depleted KKR side this season after regular skipper Shreyas Iyer pulled out to treat his troubled back.

"I'm very happy for him and he is a good friend of mine, a very funny guy. I love him as a brother. I just want him to keep doing what he is doing, and keep being consistent," player of the match Russell said after their five-wicket win that kept their slender playoff hopes alive.

There was a sense of deja vu for Russell who has gone through similar situations and his advice for Rinku is to stay humble.

"It's been going good for him so I've been encouraging whenever I get a chance to talk to him I tell him to stay humble. It does not matter how many people are shouting Russell, Russell, Russell, I always stayed humble because when it gets into your head, that's when you start to lose it," he said.

Russell said the key to Rinku's success is his ability to stay calm in any situation. "The key to what I've seen that is going well for Rinku is he's very calm. When you are batter, you have to have an open mind and be relaxed. You can't expect only a full-pitch delivery. You have to expect all kinds of deliveries -- a slower one, a slower wide ball, a yorker, a short one.

"Rinku gets into a position from where he can face any delivery and have a shot for it. That's the key to his success. His technique is very simple."