This might be my last season for Jamaica Tallawahs, infuriates Andre Russell
Andre Russell has blasted Jamaica Tallawahs calling them the weirdest franchise he has ever played for and there is no proper channel of communication. Russell, who massively underperformed last year, has further added that this edition of the Caribbean Premier League is his last with the Tallawahs.
After Andre Russell's doping ban ended in 2018, his home franchise Jamaica Tallawahs announced him as their new captain, replacing Kumar Sangakkara at the top. In the 2019 edition, which happened on the back of his record-breaking Indian Premier League, Russell played five matches but returned with than underwhelming 99 runs with six wickets. While injury sidelined him from the rest of the CPL, the Tallawahs finished bottom in the six-team league.
Things were not good off the field either as Chris Gayle, who recently signed a contract with St Lucia Zouks for CPL 2020, blasted Jamaica Tallawahs assistant coach Ramnaresh Sarwan for his role in his ouster and now Russell joined the bandwagon to reveal the pandora's box. Russell alleged that he was not even in the communication channel on the day of the draft and his request to buy certain players were found in deaf's ears.
"I am a guy who plays to win. I've won thirteen (T20) championships. If I'm picking a friend, I believe in that friend. But the way the Tallawahs went about things; I was trying to reach them on the day of the draft: no reply. This year was way different. This is the weirdest franchise I've ever played in. And by weird, I mean the people who are supposed to reach out to you. I'm not just a normal player in the Tallawahs team. I was once the leader," Russell was quoted as saying by ESPN Cricinfo.
While Gayle, in his video, blamed Tallawahs' chief executive officer Jeff Miller and Sarwan for influencing the owner Kris Persaud to release him for the 2020 season, Russell further added fire to the allegations, even though Sarwan refuted the former's claims straightaway.
"I felt like a first-class player that just made his debut one game ago. 'Your opinion is not valuable'. That's how I was treated. Even when I ask questions: 'who you guys planning on retaining? Who are you guys planning on buying'? I don't get any answers. So, I just leave it. No one says anything to Chris. No one says anything to me. He doesn't want to have me as the captain because he wants to have someone he can actually talk to.
"Rovman Powell and Reifer have a good relationship and I respect that, but now it looks like me, Rovman, Floyd Reifer plan up, and I get rid of Chris. Why would I get rid of Chris? Chris has a three-year contract with Tallawahs. You're not supposed to breach a contract," Russell further added.
The Kolkata Knight Riders player further stated that this is his last year as a player for Jamaica and he will change his team after this season. However, he added that he will give his all to win the trophy despite the differences.
"If I wasn't Tallawahs' first choice to be the captain, don't come and offer me the captaincy again. I'm not going to accept it. This might be my last season for Jamaica Tallawahs. I'm just clearing the air. I have another year's contract with the Tallawahs. I'm going to play and try to win because that's all I play for, but this will be my last, because I've been getting mixed up with all this s**t that is happening, and I can't be playing cricket where I'm not comfortable."
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