Andre Russell has ended his Indian Premier League career and will move into a support role with Kolkata Knight Riders for the 2026 season. The 37-year-old all-rounder said he will not sign with another franchise after being released by KKR ahead of the IPL 2026 auction.
Russell announced his decision through an Instagram post, saying he will serve as KKR's “power coach.” He said the move felt right at this stage of his career and that he preferred stepping away while still competitive.
“I had some amazing times and great memories in the IPL, hitting sixes, winning games, getting MVPs,” Russell said. He added that he wanted to leave while supporters still believed he had more cricket left, rather than staying until they felt he had stayed too long.
Hanging up my IPL boots… but not the swagger 💜💛
November 30, 2025
What a ride it's been in the IPL — 12 seasons of memories, and a whole lot of love from the @KKRiders family 🙏🏿
I'll still be smashing sixes and taking wickets in every other league around the world 🌎🔥
And the best part?… pic.twitter.com/S5kU0YFRcRRussell played 140 IPL matches across 12 seasons, scoring 2651 runs at a strike rate of 174.18 and taking 123 wickets with a best of five for 15. He debuted in 2012 for Delhi Daredevils before joining KKR in 2014, where he spent the rest of his IPL career. He played 133 games for the franchise, winning titles in 2014 and 2024, and earned MVP awards in 2015 and 2019. His 223 career sixes place him seventh on the tournament's all-time list.
Form concerns and fitness issues marked his most recent season. In IPL 2025, he scored 167 runs and claimed eight wickets while conceding at 11.94 per over. His release cleared Rs 12 crore from KKR's roster ahead of the auction.
Russell said speculation about joining other teams influenced his decision. Seeing digitally altered images of himself in different jerseys felt uncomfortable, he said, and caused several sleepless nights.
He noted discussions with KKR chief executive Venky Mysore and co-owner Shah Rukh Khan about continuing with the franchise in a new role. “They have shown me love and respect and appreciated what I've been doing on the field. To be in a setup that's familiar matters to me,” he said.
Russell said he will continue playing in other franchise leagues around the world.
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