Andre Russell, the stalwart of the KKR franchise and one of the core players of KKR over the years, and also one of the players whom KKR really loved to attach with, had been released by the franchise on November 15th, and following that West Indies power hitter called a time on his IPL career.
Andre Russell, one of the interesting and enjoyable players of IPL, has given so much to IPL, and his thrill has now joined the KKR dugout as a power coach. This left the IPL fans stunned, as many of them were expecting that he would join CSK or SRH in the auction.
Russell’s retirement not only made an impact on KKR but also made an impact on the IPL’s legacy. The one-time MVP and two-time champion Russell helped the IPL to give shape and became one of the fans' favourites over the years.
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Is this the end of Russell-KKR love story?
As Russell has joined the KKR dugout as a power coach, a question is moving around social media that if Russell has to stay in the KKR dugout, then why was he released by the Kolkata franchise?
As reported by Cricbuzz, the decision to let go of Russell has not only been made on his performance, but CSK’s move to release Pathirana triggered the management to increase the purse, and as a result, Russell was released.
The second reason for releasing Russell was his price. Although the Jamaican league cost was INR 12 crore, the actual deduction amounted to INR 18 crore because he had been retained in the top bracket previous season. KKR executives did not comment on their plan, but it is logical to think that the three-time winners, helmed by Venky Mysore, the IPL's most experienced CEO, would have retained him if the liability was only INR 12 crore.
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Now, from here things started to get interesting. Russell only took his retirement on the last day of IPL auction registration. It is also reported that Russell was seeking for clarity on his future, and after his retirement, KKR announced him as the power coach. Had the franchise offered the role of coaching to Russell before? It is a feasible question to ask and have in mind.
Calling off on his IPL career, the LA Knight Riders player said, "When you are going through social media, you keep seeing yourself photo-shopped 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."
What impact will Russell bring to the field with the star-studded coaching staff, it will be interesting to see.
