ANDRE Russell said he is focusing on representing Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) in the 2022 Hero Caribbean Premier League T20 tournament at this time and not thinking about earning a recall to the West Indies for the International Cricket Council 2022 T20 World Cup, which bowls off next month in Australia.

Russell and other TKR players arrived at the Piarco International Airport on Monday for the TT leg of the CPL.

At a Cricket West Indies (CWI) media conference last month, West Indies coach Phil Simmons was asked if he is concerned with top players, including Russell, unavailable for various reasons with a World Cup on the horizon.

Simmons said, 'I don't think that I should be begging people to play for their country. I think you want to represent West Indies, you make yourself available for West Indies cricket.'

Simmons does understand that there are many opportunities nowadays with franchise T20 leagues.

Days later, Russell responded on social media by saying, "I know this was coming, but am gonna stay quiet!!!"

On Monday, Russell said he is only concentrating on the CPL.

'Actually I have nothing to say about that," said the 34-year-old. "I am focusing on CPL at the moment. This is where it is for me at the moment. I am taking it one day at a time, one game at a time. Whatever is to happen will happen. I have no control over what's going on at the (CWI) or what is going on in (the) selectors' minds…whatever happens in the next week or two only God knows, so I am not even going to stress on that.'

Russell said there has been no dialogue between Simmons and himself.

'No one has reached out to me, no one has said anything…once I do the performance on the field then I leave everything else in their hands. I am just making sure that my performances are good here.'