Former India player Mohammed Kaif has expressed strong opinions on the decision by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Andre Russell ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, calling the move a mistake.
Russell
spent 12 impactful seasons with KKR, playing 133 matches, amassing 2593 runs at a strike rate of 174.97, and taking 122 wickets at an average of 21.59.
Despite being retained for IPL 2025, KKR decided to let him go before the upcoming auction, a decision that has sparked considerable shock among the fans. Russell has been a stalwart for the franchise and his release has not been taken positively by a section of the fans.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kaif praised Russell as a "once-in-a-generation player" and criticized the release decision, suggesting it might be linked to the arrival of the new head coach, Abhishek Nayar.
"Russell's release is not right. You had him at Rs 12 crore and that is not a big amount really for a player like him. Yes, he was out of form, but later on he scored runs too," Kaif said,.
He further added that despite changes coaches bring, releasing Russell was a surprising call, as experience matters massively in the IPL.
Looking ahead to the IPL 2026 auction on December 16 in Abu Dhabi, KKR faces the challenge of filling the void left by Russell. Although Cameron Green is being viewed as a potential target, Kaif firmly believes that even multiple players of Green's caliber cannot match Russell's quality.
"The quality and power that Russell has, even four players like Cameron Green cannot cover that. The way he plays, he can hit 100m sixes at will and he has won them so many games from situations where the game seemed lost," the former India player added.
Kaif also pointed out that Green's batting position higher up the order limits his ability to replicate Russell's impact as a number seven, and concluded with a strong recommendation to buy Russell back.
KKR will enter the auction with Rs. 64.3 crore to spend, the most by far in the auction. The Knight Riders will have ample opportunities to bring back some of the players they have released at a lower price, and the West Indies maverick can definitely be one of them.
