IPL retention 2026: The mini auction for the 19th season of the Indian Premier League will also feature explosive batsman and bowler Andre Russell, who was released from the Kolkata Knight Riders’ retention list today. He will be up for grabs at the auction this time.
It is expected that Andre Russell may be included in the list of the most expensive players in the mini auction this time. He may be retained at a high base price. The mini auction is expected to take place in December, and the details for which will be released by the BCCI soon. Russell has been associated with the team for a long time. He was among the five players retained by the franchise for ₹12 crore before the 2025 mega auction.
Russell’s strong performance in T20
Andre Russell, who has been playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders for a long time, is considered a great player in T20. Only two players in IPL history have scored more than 2,000 runs and taken 100 wickets. One of them is Russell, and the other is Ravindra Jadeja. Andre Russell was released by KKR, while Jadeja was traded.
He was traded by the Rajasthan Royals. The BCCI had previously announced that an additional ₹5 crore (50 million rupees) would be added to the IPL franchises’ auction purse. Therefore, KKR will enter the IPL 2026 auction with a purse of ₹64.30 crore (64.30 million rupees). Russell, 37, retired from international cricket in July, having played only the T20 format after the 2019 World Cup.
Which players did KKR retain?
Trade player: Arjun Tendulkar (from Mumbai Indians)
Released players: Lavnith Sisodia, Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Moeen Ali, Spencer Johnson, Anrich Nortje, and Chetan Sakariya.