KKR's Andre Russell announces IPL retirement ahead of mini-auction

Hard-hitting West Indian all-rounder and a two-time IPL winner with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Andre Russell, has announced his IPL retirement ahead of the mini-auction in Abu Dhabi on December 16. A batting powerhouse, also known for his golden arm with the ball in hand, Russell is the second high-profile name (after Faf du Plessis) not to feature in the IPL 2026 mini-auction. Although du Plessis hasn’t announced his tournament retirement yet, having pulled out to explore options elsewhere, Russell’s call to step aside from the competition shocked the cricket world.

Russell, however, will continue his association with the three-time IPL winners, despite the franchise releasing him ahead of the mini-auction. Having spent 12 seasons with them, Russell proved his loyalty by joining KKR's backroom staff ahead of IPL 2026.

In his statement, Russell paid heartfelt gratitude to the KKR ownership, the fans, his teammates, coaches and all those involved during his journey, thanking them for their respective contributions in helping him become the top T20 cricketer.

"Hello KKR fans. I'm here today, to tell you that I’ve made a decision to retire from the IPL. I will still be active playing in various leagues around the world and for all the other KKR franchises. I had some amazing times and great memories (in the IPL), hitting sixes, winning games, getting MVPs...,” Russell said, as quoted by India Today.

"When I made this decision, I felt like it was the best decision at this point. I don’t want to fade out; I want to leave a legacy behind. It's best to retire when fans ask "why? You still have some more in you. You still could go for a bit longer." instead of "yeah, you should have done it years back."

"When you are going through social media, you keep seeing yourself photoshopped in different jerseys (of other teams). I felt weird to see myself in any colour other than purple & gold, and those thoughts kept going through my head, leading me to a few sleepless nights," he continued.

New role for Russell

Unlike the usual positions of a batting, bowling or fielding coach, the KKR appointed Russell as the power coach, with his role being synonymous with this new tag for coaches.

"There have been a lot of conversations between me and Mr. Venky Mysore and also Mr Shah Rukh Khan, about another chapter in my IPL journey. They have shown me love and respect and have appreciated whatever I've been doing on the field. To be in a setup that's familiar matters to me a lot.

"So, Kolkata, I'll be back. I'm here to say I will be a part of the KKR support staff as the new Power Coach in 2026."
"When I heard that name - ‘Power Coach’, I felt that describes Andre Russell the best, because the power that I possess when I bat, the energy that I show in the field with the ball in hand, I can help in any department."

"So, see you soon. Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo," read the statement from Russell.

Meanwhile, Russell hung up his IPL boots with 2651 runs to his name in 140 contested matches, also including 123 wickets. While his batting strike-rate was 174.18, Russell’s bowling average read 23.28 – both being top-class in their respective categories. For KKR, Russell also won two Most Valuable Player of the Season awards in 2015 and 2019.