Andre Russell bids goodbye to IPL

Andre Russell announced his retirement from the IPL, saying he will continue playing in global leagues. Preferring to leave on a high, he thanked KKR for their support and confirmed he will return in 2026 as the franchise’s new “Power Coach”

Hyderabad: “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,” West Indian all-rounder Andre Russell said in a statement on Sunday.

“I had some amazing times and great memories (in the IPL), hitting sixes, winning games, getting MVPs,” he said.

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“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,” Russell said.

“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,” he explained.

“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,” Russell said.

“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,” he added

“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,” he signed off.