Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) made a massive move by releasing star all-rounder Andre Russell ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. The decision surprised many and came as a shock to fans and experts alike.
Andre Russell was retained by KKR for ₹12 crore for the 2025 season but could not deliver as expected. The all-rounder scored 167 runs in 10 innings at an average of 18.55 and a strike rate of 163.72. With the ball, he took eight wickets from nine matches at an economy rate of 11.94. Given that his performances did not match the expectations, KKR decided to move on from him.
Russell joined the team in 2014 and played a crucial role in winning two IPL titles with KKR. Overall, in the IPL, the all-rounder has scored 2,651 runs from 140 matches along with 123 wickets, making him one of the most impactful players in the league’s history.
### Expert Reactions to KKR Releasing Andre Russell
Following his release, several former cricketers shared their views on this big move by KKR. Here are the top 5 expert reactions:
#### #5 Ravichandran Ashwin
Former Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin expressed disbelief, stating that he did not expect KKR to release Andre Russell. Having been with the team for 12 long years, Russell was an integral part of their setup. Ashwin said he expected KKR to enter the auction with a big budget but was shocked by Russell’s release.
> “I never expected KKR to release Andre Russell. I thought KKR would come in with 45 crores at least. They are set to go into the auction with all of their briefcases. If there is any bid on a player, you can look in their direction. 64 crores going into a mini auction. It is not like KKR have let everyone go; they still have a reasonable XI,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
#### #4 Irfan Pathan
Former all-rounder Irfan Pathan was also surprised by the release of Andre Russell. While he acknowledged injury concerns and a dip in form last year, he reflected on Russell’s role as a match-winner over several seasons.
> “There were many big names released who were shocking for me. The biggest was Andre Russell. Him not being in KKR came as a massive surprise. He has been a match-winner. There were injury concerns and the form was not there last year but he has won so many games over the years. If you feel he cannot be available for 14 games, then it is a different thing but I feel he could definitely have been backed. KKR have backed him for many years, but here they haven’t. It will be a little difficult to find a player of his skill,” Pathan said on his YouTube channel.
#### #3 Aakash Chopra
Former batter Aakash Chopra shared some interesting insights regarding Russell’s release. According to him, KKR had made up their mind to let go of the all-rounder and had even attempted to trade him to another team. However, the trade talks did not materialize, leading to Russell being released.
> “Abhishek Nayar went to KKR and told him he will change everything there. However, he has maintained quite a few things, including captain Ajinkya Rahane. But they left Russell after 12 years. KKR also won the CPL but they still let Russell go which means they have made up their mind. They had also offered Russell for a trade; I know the team, but I will not tell which team. It was denied and he was always in the release category,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
#### #2 Sanjay Bangar
Former cricketer and Team India batting coach Sanjay Bangar was not surprised by KKR’s decision to release Russell. He pointed out that there were clear signs last season that the team was underutilising Russell with both bat and ball.
> “The signs were there. KKR were probably not utilising the services of Russell, the batter because most times he batted lower down the order. Also, his usage as the bowler because he hardly bowled his entire quota of four overs in many of the matches he played in the last season. So, there were signs that maybe Russell will have to ply his trade for another franchise,” Bangar said in an interview with ESPN Cricinfo.
#### #1 Mohammad Kaif
Former batter Mohammad Kaif felt that KKR’s move to release Russell was not justified. He expressed that ₹12 crore was not a big amount for a player of Russell’s calibre and called him a “once in a generation player.”
> “Russell’s release is not right. You had him at 12 crore and that is not a big amount really for a player like him. He is once in a generation player. Yes, he was out of form but later on he scored runs too. But as coaches change, they bring some changes. I think this was a big call. You can say he was not at his peak but I feel this is such a format, especially in the IPL, where experienced players do well and there are many examples,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.
He added,
> “The way he plays, he can hit 100m sixes as per will and he has won so many games from situations where the game seemed lost. He got that respect because of this ability. There are very few players like him at number seven.”
### What’s Next for Andre Russell?
It now remains to be seen which franchise will bid for Andre Russell or whether KKR will attempt to buy him back at a lower price in the upcoming IPL 2026 auction.
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https://www.sportskeeda.com/cricket/who-said-top-5-expert-reactions-kkr-releasing-andre-russell-ahead-ipl-2026-auction-ft-mohammad-kaif
