The news surprised many fans, but what touched them even more was how honestly Andre Russell spoke about what he had been going through. Seeing edited pictures of himself in jerseys of other teams made the West Indian deeply uncomfortable, as KKR had already made up its mind to release him.
Russell said while announcing his new role as the power coach of the KKR, “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 color other than purple & gold, and those thoughts kept going through my head, leading me to a few sleepless nights.”
For more than a decade, Andre Russell was one of Kolkata Knight Riders’ biggest match-winners. He smashed huge sixes, bowled dangerous spells, and turned games around on his own. And even the three-time IPL champions also backed him through highs and lows and helped him with his fitness.
Releasing Andre Russell was part of KKR's bigger plan
So, many believed Andre Russell would retire only in KKR colors, and he did. But the big question was, why did KKR release him ahead of the IPL 2026 auction when the connection was unbreakable? Well, the decision was based on planning, strategy, timing, and the bigger picture of the IPL 2026 auction, as per Cricbuzz.
Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) decisions also influenced the franchise to make that hard move. There were rumors that CSK was preparing to release Matheesha Pathirana, who was a high-value player at INR 13 crore. And they did that in the last moment.
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KKR could now target high-demand players like Australia’s Cameron Green or England’s Jamie Smith, or even go for both if they fit in the team’s plans. Another important factor was Russell’s actual cost. While his listed IPL fee was INR 12 crore, the real deduction for KKR was INR 18 crore because he had been retained in the top salary bracket last season.
Andre Russell gets coaching role just before auction registration deadline
The last day for player registration was approaching fast. Andre Russell needed clarity. If KKR didn’t offer him something soon, he would have had to register for the auction. That could have led to him being picked by another team that he clearly didn’t want.
So KKR quickly offered him the role of power coach. It was the perfect solution. He didn’t have to enter the auction. He didn’t have to wear another jersey. He could continue with the same franchise, just in a new role, and their partnership is also continued.
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