THIS T20 World Cup-Winning Cricketer To Make A Comeback In India Vs West Indies T20I Series?

Team India and West Indies are set to take part in a five-match T20I series beginning in Tarouba from August 3. Indian side will be led by all-rounder Hardik Pandya but West Indies are yet to announce their squad for the series.

In what could be great news for the two-time T20 World Cup champions, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Andre Russell may be available to make a comeback for the Caribbean side. Russell had made himself available for the T20 World Cup 2022 Qualifiers before the main tournament but wasn’t picked by West Indies selector Desmond Haynes and former head coach Phil Simmons. WI failed to qualify for the main tournament in the T20 World Cup 2022 as well.

West Indies have not also embarrassingly failed to qualify for the ODI World Cup 2023 for the first time in their history. They have also lost the first Test against India at Dominica by a massive innings and 141 runs.

Russell is currently playing for Los Angeles Knight Riders in the Major League Cricket (MLC) tournament.  “I am available. I want to be a part of the next World Cup so that would be something special to me if they can add me to the squad,” Russell was quoted as saying by the Jamaica Observer newspaper.

ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT METERS!_

Andre Russell with a SHOT TO THE MOON!_ pic.twitter.com/WHYt9HGD1M

— Major League Cricket (@MLCricket) July 19, 2023

“I am willing to play a couple of series to make myself available. I am not just going to turn up and say I want to play at the World Cup from nothing at all. I know how everything works; I know I have to sacrifice a couple leagues in order to play for West Indies. I am willing to do that and try to give them the best chance in the World Cup, and whatever I can contribute in whatever area, I am willing to do it,” Russell added.

Russell, who scored 42 off 26 balls against San Francisco Unicorns on Wednesday, confirmed that he wants to play in the T20I series against India. “There is an India series coming up that I would want to be a part of but no one has said anything to me and I am just minding my own business. I am just doing what I am doing — still training hard,” Russell said.

Russell has a strike-rate of 156 in 67 T20I matches till date and has also picked up 39 wickets. He was part of the T20 World Cup 2016 winning squad under Darren Sammy.