Andre Russell attacks Virat Kohli, FIGHTS his Test cricket narrative with brutal message

West Indian all-rounder Andre Russell responded to Virat Kohli’s comment describing his IPL 2025 title win with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) as "five levels below Test cricket." Russell also said that Test players from India, Australia, and England receive lucrative central contracts, unlike West Indies cricketers.

After RCB’s maiden IPL title victory, Matthew Hayden asked Virat Kohli to rate the achievement. Kohli replied that he still considers it far below the level of Test cricket. The 36-year-old batter also urged young players to pursue Test cricket if they want to gain true respect within the cricket community.

Those Guys Get Lucrative Central Contracts - Andre Russell

Speaking to The Guardian ahead of the T20I series against England, Andre Russell said that how Test cricket is respected across different regions. He pointed out that in the West Indies, Test cricket doesn’t offer the same financial incentives as it does in countries like India, Australia, or England.

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"I think when you’re from India, Australia, England, those places where they look after their Test players, it’s totally different to being from West Indies," Russell told The Guardian.

"Those guys get lucrative central contracts to play Test cricket and play on the biggest stages, of course they want to play. West Indians? You might play 50 or 100 Tests and you know, after you retire, there’s not much to show for it. Of course, you want the possibility of living a comfortable life and taking care of your family," he added.

Andre Russell Returns to West Indies Squad for First Time Since November 2024

Andre Russell is set to make his return to the West Indies squad for the upcoming T20I series against England. Notably, it will be his first appearance since November 2024.

The veteran all-rounder is known as one of the most successful T20 cricketers, with over 10 titles to his name, including IPL victories with Kolkata Knight Riders and a T20 World Cup win. However, Russell has had a minimal presence in the longer formats.

The 37-year-old has only played one Test match in his entire career, which came against Sri Lanka back in 2010, and he hasn’t featured in the West Indies' ODI setup since 2019. Russell has competed in leagues around the world, including the IPL, BBL, CPL, BPL, PSL, and MLC.

Andre Russell's Underwhelming Campaign for KKR in IPL 2025

Andre Russell endured a forgettable IPL 2025 campaign with the Kolkata Knight Riders squad. The defending champions had a disappointing season, finishing eighth on the points table and missing out on the playoffs.

Russell, who has been a mainstay for KKR for over ten years, struggled to make an impact in the tournament. He scored just 167 runs in 13 matches at an average of 18.55 and a strike rate of 163.73, with a best score of 57. The all-rounder took only eight wickets at an economy rate of 11.94.

Overall, the 37-year-old has scored 2,651 runs in 140 IPL matches at an average of 28.20 and a strike rate of 174.18, including 12 half-centuries. With the ball, he has taken 123 wickets at an average of 23.18 and an economy rate of 9.51.

Also read: BCCI, ECB scrap Pataudi Trophy; England-India series renamed after Sachin Tendulkar, James Anderson