Andre Dwayne Russell is a Jamaican professional cricketer who is widely regarded as one of the greatest T20 players to have ever played the game. Russell plays internationally for the West Indies and for Jamaica in West Indian domestic cricket as an all-rounder. He has played in more than 300 Twenty20 matches for a range of sides in leagues throughout the world. Russell scored a century in a record 40 balls in the 2018 Caribbean Premier League and took a hat-trick in the same match, becoming the second player to take a hat-trick and score a century in the same Twenty20 match.
A fast bowling all-rounder, Russell made his Test cricket debut against Sri Lanka in November 2010. This is the only Test match of his career. He made his One Day International debut in the 2011 Cricket World Cup match against Ireland at Mohali. After a poor home series against Pakistan, he made his mark against in the ODI series against India. After being dropped from the first two ODIs, he scored 92 not out off 64 balls in the 3rd ODI after coming to the crease at 96/7. In the 5th ODI at Sabina Park in Kingston, he was named the Player of the Match as he took 4/35 to dismiss India for 251 in 47.1 overs. He was named in the 'Team of the Tournament' for the 2016 T20 World Cup by the ICC, Cricinfo and Cricbuzz. In April 2019, he was named in the West Indies' squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup. In the West Indies match against Australia, Russell became the quickest batsman, in terms of balls faced, to score 1,000 run in ODIs, facing only 767 deliveries. However, on 24 June 2019, Russell was ruled out of the rest of the tournament, due to a knee injury, and was replaced by Sunil Ambris.
T20 franchise career
Russell has played in over 300 T20 matches and appeared for teams in a number of franchise leagues. He was also named in the T20 XI of the years 2016 and 2018 by Cricinfo.
During the 2012 Indian Premier League Players Auction, he was bought by the Delhi Daredevils for a sum of $450,000. Ahead of the 2014 season he was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders and has been seen as a key batsman for the team in the later overs of matches. For his performances in 2015, he was named in the Cricinfo IPL XI for the season He was on course to win the IPL Super Striker award in 2018, awarded for having the highest strike rate in the tournament, before being pipped by his teammate Sunil Narine. He eventually won it next year in the 2019 IPL, where he had a record IPL season strike rate of over 205, and was also announced as the Player of the Tournament. In an otherwise unsuccessful season, he emerged as both the highest run scorer and the highest wicket taker for his team, while also being the third highest run scorer in the tournament. He hit 52 sixes in the tournament; only Chris Gayle has hit more sixes in any single season of the IPL. For his performances in the 2019 IPL season, he was named in the Cricinfo IPL XI
Andre Russell married with his long-time girlfriend Jassym Lora in 2016. Andre Russell's wife, Jassym Lora is an American Model. Russell, recently announced the good news that he and his wife Jassym Lora are expecting their first baby.
Controversies
According to the Jamaica Anti-Doping Commission, in 2016 Russell committed an "anti-doping whereabouts" violation after missing three doping tests in a 12-month period. On 31 January 2017, Russell was banned from cricket for one year.
Outside cricket
In 2014 he began a second career as a recording artist under the name 'Dre Russ', with two singles released in November, one a collaboration with Beenie Man.
