Andre Russell, the West Indies power hitter, has called time on his Indian Premier League (IPL) career, an announcement he made on November 30, 2025. Russell was surprisingly not retained by his IPL franchise, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), ahead of the IPL 2026 auction.
Russell, who was part of KKR's title-winning teams in 2014 and 2024, was also the IPL's Most Valuable Player in 2019. He joined the Kolkata-based franchise from the Delhi Capitals and went on to become a stellar player for KKR.
“Hi, KKR fans, Dre Russ here. Just want to give you guys the big news. I made a decision to retire from the IPL. I'll still be active playing in various leagues all around the world and for all the other KKR franchises. I had some amazing times and great memories, hitting sixes, winning games, MVP, and all of those things. But 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 to say, ‘Yeah, you should have done it years back’,” Russell stated in a video on his social media.
Andre Russell has made 2651 runs with a strike rate of 174.17 with 14 half-centuries and a best score of 88*. He hit 186 fours and 223 sixes in his career in IPL. He also took 123 wickets at an economy of 9.51 and best bowling figures of 5/15.
“You know, we’re a part of the Instagram world, so when you're going through your feed, you keep seeing yourself in different jerseys, and I'm like, ‘I look weird in that jersey.’ And it's just those thoughts that have been going through my head. I have had a few sleepless nights. There have been a lot of conversations between me, Mr. Venky Mysore, and also Mr. Shah Rukh Khan, about another chapter. And my IPL journey—they have shown me respect and love, and they appreciate whatever I've been doing on the field, and to be in a setup that I'm familiar with, that matters to me a lot,” he added.
Andre Russell announced that he’ll be playing for all the Knight Rider franchises in other T20 leagues and will be part of the KKR support staff as the power coach starting IPL 2026.
“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. That described Dre Russ. You know, that describes Andre Russell because the power that I possess when I bat and the energy that I show in the field with the ball in hand, I can help in any department. So see you soon. And Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo,” Russell signed out.
Russell’s decision came on the final day for players to register for the next IPL auction, which will be held in Abu Dhabi on December 16. Russell is also a legend of the IPL, one of only two players to score over 2000 runs and pick up 100 wickets in the tournament, Ravindra Jadeja being the other.
