In one of the most surprising moves in IPL history, the Kolkata Knight Riders have released long-time superstar allrounder Andre Russell. A pillar of the franchise since 2014, Russell was previously retained ahead of the 2025 mega auction for INR 12 crore. His departure marks a significant shift for KKR and the league as a whole.
Russell’s legacy in the IPL is immense. As one of only two players to score over 2000 runs and claim 100 wickets, he stands among the league’s greatest ever, alongside Ravindra Jadeja—who himself was traded. With this, the 2026 retention window has become one of the most dramatic and talked-about in tournament history.
Despite his iconic status, KKR had debated moving on from the 37-year-old allrounder even before the 2025 auction. Russell, who retired from international cricket in July and has since played only T20s, leaves behind a decorated stint that includes two IPL titles (2014, 2024), a 2019 Player of the Tournament award, and 16 Player-of-the-Match honours. Known for his explosive death-overs hitting, he departs with the joint-seventh most sixes (223) in IPL history.
