Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) co-owner Shah Rukh Khan stated that Andre Russell reminds him of former West Indies opener Chris Gayle.
Gayle, who played for KKR in 2009, was one of the most destructive batters of the shorter format. SRK also drew parallels between the Universe Boss and Russell’s fashion sense.
"He reminds us of the first big man like Universe Boss, Mr. Gayle. He's like that, and I love the fact that he's very fashion-conscious. He likes to dress well, do his hair. Last night, I asked him, "Do you have some two-color shoes?" He said no, but he has designer spikes. So, I said, "Are they Gucci designer spikes?" Wow! Yes, well, I love the way he's a fashionista," Shah Rukh said.
He then revealed that Russell is completely different from his on-field personality as he is very sweet and kind in real life.
"I can't have serious conversations with Andre. He's too sweet. The way he is on the field, in real life, he's the opposite. In real life, he's gentle and sweet. Even when dancing, he's gentle,” SRK added.
“Our conversations are usually about making sure he remains fit. Venky and the whole team go out of their way to train him throughout the year. If there's any problem, he tells us because he's such a wonderful sportsman, such a wonderful person to be around, and such a great cricketer."
The Bollywood icon also talked about Russell’s relationship with his teammates. He mentioned that the West Indies all-rounder has an excellent bond with Rinku Singh and the two are like “Jai-Veeru” in terms of friendship.
"Apart from all these great qualities, he's lovely with the younger boys. Rinku and he have such a strong bond, like the Jai-Veeru friendship. They're so different, yet they love each other and help each other as cricketers and as people," Shahrukh said.
