Centurion [South Africa], January 16 : Andre Russell elaborated on his maiden experience in the SA20 tournament, playing alongside a few fellow West Indies players in the Pretoria Capitals squad and what the Caribbean players bring to the table in the leagues around the world.
Pretoria Capitals are peaking at the right time, and the inclusion of Andre Russell has only powered up their line-up, especially their middle-order.
Speaking with SA20, Capitals' Andre Russell shared his thoughts on being involved with the tournament for the first time and hailed the atmosphere at the SA20 league, saying it's the same as in the Indian Premier League (IPL), according to a release.
"SA20 is right up there, to be honest. It's my first time here in South Africa, and I'm really enjoying it. The atmosphere is the same as the IPL. The fans love it. Whether it's sun or rain, they're always out there. And I think that's the kind of support we, as players, want. They come out and cheer for the team. When you have fans behind you, it motivates you to bowl well and bat well. At the end of the day, we're enjoying ourselves and the atmosphere too. So I'd say this league is definitely right at the top," Russell told SA20.
Russell also reflected on what West Indies players bring to SA20 and T20 cricket in general and the young South African talent on show, saying, "I think it's just the way we play. We express ourselves. As everyone says, we bring power and energy to T20 cricket. I'm happy that we have that kind of impact on T20 leagues. But at the same time, it's important for the youngsters to keep this trend going. There are some great players coming through in South Africa, and the youngsters here are very good. Cricket is evolving, and it's only going to get better from here."
On the familiarity of having fellow West Indies players in the dressing room in other leagues and the popularity of Caribbean music, Russell said, "I enjoy having a few West Indian guys in the changing room wherever I play. Even if it's just one or two, I'm happy, because at least you have someone you can speak your own language with, and you don't have to talk English all the time. But surprisingly, the guys here play our music too. They've got dancehall and reggae on their playlists. So we're not short of anything. Ngidi, Lizaad, these guys love the culture. Even some of the English players, who you wouldn't expect, are playing those songs. Reggae and dancehall music have really gone global now, and it feels good when I hear someone else playing our music."