Kolkata Knight Riders all-rounder and two-time IPL champion Andre Russell announced his retirement from the Indian Premier League on Sunday. The West Indian star confirmed that he will continue to be associated with KKR, joining the franchise’s support staff as a Power Coach for the upcoming 2026 season.

The 37-year-old has been an integral part of the KKR setup since signing with the franchise in 2014. Announcing his decision through social media, Russell said stepping away from the IPL as a player was "the best decision at this point" in his career.

"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," he said in a statement. 

"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 added, highlighting his discussions with the KKR management to remain with the Kolkata team.

Russell will be joining the team as their new Power Coach in 2026. "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. To be in a setup that's familiar matters to me a lot," he 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," the all-rounder added. 

Russell, known for his brute force with the bat and a knack for taking wickets at key junctures, played a total of 140 matches in the IPL and scored 2,651 runs with 12 fifties. He also took 123 wickets at an economy rate of 9.51 with one five-wicket haul in his name.

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