Andre Russell let go by KKR after 11 years with the side having been a constant for the franchise for over a decade.
The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have made the decision to let go of their star all-rounder Andre Russell ahead of the IPL 2026 auction in one of the most prominent releases in IPL history.
Russell has been a consistent member of the team since the 2014 Indian Premier League, and he was one of five players kept by the team before to the INR 12 crore mega auction in 2025.
Russell is an IPL GOAT and a true T20 great. In IPL history, only two players have taken 100 wickets while scoring more than 2000 runs. Russell’s release and Ravindra Jadeja’s move make the 2026 retention window one of the most controversial.
Although many people, including KKR supporters, will be surprised by the outcome, the team had considered releasing Russell prior to the 2025 mega auction before opting to postpone that decision. After just playing the T20 format during the 2019 World Cup, Russell, 37, announced his retirement from international cricket in July.
Russell was a member of the KKR’s winning squads in 2014 and 2024, and he won Player of the Tournament in the 2019 IPL. Russell is only surpassed by Sunil Narine, another legendary KKR player, with 16 Player-of-the-Match honours. Russell has smashed the joint-seventh most sixes (223) in the IPL and is a formidable batsman who is renowned to destroy bowlers, particularly in death overs.
It is known that Russell was targeted for a trade by multiple franchises. However, KKR will have the largest purse at the auction—INR 64.30 crore—and may even try to purchase him back. Russell’s performance in the 2025 season will also be monitored by the teams. Russell scored 167 runs with a strike rate of 163.72 with the bat in ten innings, including a 50. However, his bowling performance was below average, taking eight wickets at an economy of 11.94 and an average of 27.12 in nine innings.