Young spinner has 'big heart, bright future': Dre-Russ

Superstar Andre Russell has become the latest authoritative source to heap praise on Tanveer Sangha, declaring the young spinner has a big heart and a bright future.

West Indies power hitter Russell and Sangha, who only made his KFC BBL debut a year ago but has already been part of Australia's T20 squad, went head-to-head in a thrilling over at Sydney Showground Stadium on Sunday night.

A well-set Russell had taken the power surge and was eyeing the boundary, with Melbourne Stars needing 35 runs from 36 deliveries at that juncture.

Russell emerged victorious, heaving one ball back over the 20-year-old's head and into the stands as he marched the Stars to a six-wicket win over Sydney Thunder.

But Sangha, having already dismissed Australian T20 World Cup heroes Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell, was denied the scalp of Russell in cruel fashion.

The Stars' prized signing, who was on 35 off 15 balls at the time, edged the ball onto his foot and the stumps, only for the bails to somehow remain in place.

"The ball hit the stump – like hard ... happy to still be batting and have a laugh about it," Russell said.

Sangha could be a bolter in Australia's Test squad for tours of Pakistan and India next year, having enjoyed a productive start to the domestic season in all three formats.

Russell, one of the most in-demand guns for hire in T20 competitions across the globe, was suitably impressed and made a point to seek out the tweaker after play.

"I commended him and I said 'listen, you have a big heart and I like spinners that are not afraid to bowl to big hitters'," he said.

"He was doing really really well. 

"He was bowling into my body and mixing his pace.

"He's not afraid to bowl in the power surge over to me ... he did well, so hats off to him.

"He just has a bright future. He has a long way to go and if he can be doing this, now, he's just improvement (to come)."

Sangha was chuffed to hear Russell's feedback.

"Obviously best in the business, it's always good to get some stuff like that from him," he said.

Sangha relished the chance to test himself against one of the best T20 batters in the world.

"He (captain Chris Green) is like, 'do you want it?'. I'm like, 'yeah 100 per cent I want it'," the 20-year-old said after the match.

"I know there's a lot of pressure.

"But I just want to compete in the big moment, have the ball."

Sangha has five wickets at 14.2 in three BBL|11 games and last month claimed 4-21 to spin NSW to a crushing Marsh One-Day Cup win over Victoria.

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