Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) CEO Venky Mysore has revealed that while the franchise did hold long discussions with Andre Russell about a possible release ahead of the IPL 2026 mini-auction, the decision for him to retire from the league came from a surprising influence, Shah Rukh Khan.
Russell, one of KKR’s most iconic match-winners across 12 seasons, was released ahead of the auction. Many expected Kolkata to bid for him again or other teams to compete aggressively for his signature, but the Jamaican stunned fans by announcing his retirement from the IPL altogether.
According to Russell, the physical and mental toll of playing in the world’s most intense T20 competition had reached a point where sustaining peak performance through a long season was becoming harder. That eventually pushed him towards stepping away.
Mysore revealed that SRK played a key role in helping Russell take that leap. “I could see he was struggling to make the decision. When I shared this with SRK, it was his suggestion,” Mysore told ESPNcricinfo.
“A player always wonders what happens after retirement. They know they’re still good, and Dre still is. He’s fantastic and playing other leagues but it’s a tough call.”
Once the retirement decision was made, Mysore said he noticed a sense of relief and clarity in Russell’s mindset. Over the years, the all-rounder carved out a legacy with KKR, two IPL titles (2014, 2024), the 2019 MVP award, and 16 Player-of-the-Match titles.
“It felt like he was free mentally. He took a couple of catches, dived around, threw like he was 22 again,” Mysore joked.
“Everyone has started calling him ‘power coach’ and I think he loves it. He seems happy and at peace with his decision and so are we.”
Russell will now continue with KKR in a non-playing role, cementing his association with the franchise beyond his playing days.
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