Andre Russell Retirement

KKR Champion Not Retained Took Retirement, Set to Take Up Coaching Role at KKR

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Modified - Nov 30, 2025, 10:02 AM

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Andre Russell, the iconic Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder and two-time IPL champion, has confirmed that he is stepping away from playing in the league. Instead, he will transition into KKR’s support staff for IPL 2026, taking up the role of power coach for the franchise he represented for 12 seasons. Although KKR released him before the December mini-auction, Andre Russell chose not to enter the auction pool, explaining that he couldn’t imagine turning out for any other team.

Andre Russell IPL Retirement: New Announcement

At 37, Russell has officially ended his long-standing stint with the Kolkata Knight Riders, a journey that began in 2014 and evolved into one of the franchise’s most impactful player–team partnerships. Over the course of 133 matches in KKR colours, he established himself as the most dangerous batsman in IPL. He has been a cornerstone of the side and played key roles in their championship victories in both 2014 and 2024.

He shared that ending his IPL journey on his own terms felt right, and the thought of wearing another franchise’s colours gave him sleepless nights. After discussing future possibilities with KKR management, Russell felt that the “power coach” role perfectly matched his personality, and he hopes to contribute to the franchise in this new designation. In his statement, Russell said,

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.
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.

Andre Russell New KKR Coach Ahead of IPL 2026?

The veteran all-rounder said he had spoken with Kolkata Knight Riders about his future role with the franchise and felt that the title of “Power Coach” suited him best. He explained that he had held several discussions with Venky Mysore and Shah Rukh Khan about starting a new chapter in his IPL journey, and that both had consistently shown him appreciation and respect for his contributions on the field.

He wanted to remain in a setup he already knew was important to him, and that familiarity played a major role in his decision. He confirmed that he would return to Kolkata and join the KKR support staff as the Power Coach in 2026. When he first heard the term Power Coach, he immediately felt it captured his identity as a cricketer and believed he could use that experience to help the team in multiple areas.

Russell featured in 140 IPL matches, smashing 2,651 runs at a strike rate of 174.18, while also claiming 123 wickets at an average of 23.28. His standout years came with KKR, where he earned the IPL’s Most Valuable Player award in both 2015 and 2019. Overall, during his stint with Kolkata Knight Riders, he scored 2,593 runs and took 122 wickets. The remaining 58 runs and 1 wicket came while playing for the Delhi Daredevils in 2012 and 13. No doubt, he was one of the best all-rounders in IPL.