Kolkata Knight Riders’ explosive all-rounder Andre Russell has brought down the curtain on a glittering IPL career. After not being retained by the franchise ahead of the 2026 season, Russell announced that he would transition into a new role within the KKR setup, joining the support staff as the team’s “power coach”.
"I've made a decision to retire from the IPL. I'll still be active playing in various leagues all around the world and all the other KKR franchises. I had some amazing time and great memories. hitting sixes, winning games, MVP and all of those things. When I made this decision, I just felt like, 'yes, this is the best decision.' I don't want to fade out. I want to leave a legacy, and it's best to retire when fans ask 'why, you still have some more in you, you still could go for a bit longer' than say, 'yeah, you should have done it years back', Russell said in a video message on Instagram.
"We are part of the Instagram world, so when you're going through your feed, you keep seeing yourself in different jerseys and I'm like, 'hmmm, I look weird in that jersey'. And it's just those thoughts that's been going through my head. I had a few sleepless nights. 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, and they have shown me respect and love and they appreciate whatever I have been doing in the field and to be in a set-up where I'm familiar, that matters to me a lot."
"So Kolkata, I'll be back. I'm here now just to say that I'll be a part of the KKR support staff. When I heard that name, you know, coming from Mr Venky, I said, you know, 'power coach, hmmm'. That describes Dre Russ. That describes Andre Russell, 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."
In 133 appearances for Kolkata Knight Riders, Russell amassed 2593 runs, including 12 fifties, and did so at a jaw-dropping strike rate of 174.96. Overall, he has played 140 matches, scoring 2651 runs. He has also taken 123 wickets at an economy of 9.51.