West Indies’ T20 legend Andre Russell has announced his retirement from the Indian Premier League (IPL). Released by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) ahead of mini-auction, Russell has been given a new role at the franchise. He will be joining the three-time IPL-winning team as their power coach.
Russell has not retired from T20 cricket in its entirety. He will continue to play in franchise T20 leagues across the world.
The all-rounder revealed that he saw himself in various IPL T20 jerseys on social media but found it weird.
Russell’s full statement on retiring from KKR
“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 wrote in his statement.
“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.
“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 appreciate 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 ball in hand, I can help in any department.
“So, see you soon. Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo.”
Russell’s IPL numbers -
Russell had represented Delhi Capitals (DC) for two seasons before joining the KKR. Overall, he has 2,651 runs from 140 innings at an average of 28.20 and strike rate of 174.17, including 12 fifties. He has 123 wickets to his name, at an average of 23.27, including one five-wicket haul.