KKR have released the most players ahead of the IPL 2026 retention deadline.
The IPL 2026 retention deadline has reached its final date, and the confirmations from the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises have started to flow in. In a shocking move from the three-time champions, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), star Caribbean finisher Andre Russell has been released ahead of the IPL 2026 auction.
Notably, Russell has played for KKR for the last 11 years in the cash-rich league. He also represents several sister franchises of the Knights in the growing T20 leagues around the world. This includes – Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR) in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR) in the Major League Cricket (MLC) and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (ADKR) in the International League T20 (ILT20).
KKR have released the most players ahead of the IPL 2026 retention deadline. Following a disastrous season in the IPL 2025 as the reigning champions, the franchise made up its mind for a major overhaul before the next season of India’s domestic T20 tournament.
But Russell is the most unexpected name to feature amidst the big names in the KKR released players 2026 list. Since his record-breaking IPL 2019 season for the Men in Purple, the big-hitter had failed to deliver such blazing performances consistently.
His batting strike rate also saw a steep downfall in the last few seasons. Though Russell had managed to put up some blistering shows occasionally, alongside some contributions to the team’s wickets tally, KKR chose not to retain their all-rounder for a huge price of INR 12 crore.
ALSO READ:
Despite his recent struggles with form, the franchises are well aware of the Caribbean star’s destructive match-turning abilities with the willow. This almost guarantees that the IPL 2026 auction hall is set to witness a bidding war to acquire the Caribbean big-hitter.
Several teams would be interested in roping in Russell for IPL 2026. The first could be KKR, who might be looking to include him at a lesser amount for the upcoming season. But the five-time IPL-winners, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), could also give them a tough fight in re-acquiring the player.
Following a bottom-place finish in the IPL 2026, the yellow outfit have also released a big chunk of their squad. Considering their need for a specialist finisher and a huge remaining purse of INR 43.3 crore, CSK are certain to bid for the all-rounder in the forthcoming auction.
The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) might also want to include him in their squad after releasing their overseas finisher, David Miller, ahead of the retention deadline.
For more updates, follow CricXtasy on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
