Just about any random IPL retention news is good enough to make headlines at the moment, with the teams due to announce their respective decisions on October 31. Now, as per RevSportz, it has emerged that KKR won’t retain all-rounder Andre Russell. It is important to note that the 36-year-old has been with the team since 2014, and has played 126 matches for them. In fact, he has scored 2491 runs at an average of 29, and a strike rate of 175.91, smashing 12 fifties.
No Andre Russell for KKR
If that is not enough, he has also picked 116 wickets for the team, and an average of 21. He also had a good IPL 2024 season, where in 14 matches, he scored 222 runs at an average of 31. To go with that, he also had 19 wickets to his name.
If this news is true, then the reason for such a decision is not clear at all. For a top performer to not be retained could certainly be a big blow for KKR. Perhaps, it might have boiled down to the money being offered to him, or just KKR’s wish to fill his shoes with India all-rounder Harshit Rana, who had 19 wickets last season, and is doing well in the Ranji Trophy too.
If further reports are to be believed, most expensive buy ever, Mitchell Starc could also face the axe this year. He had 17 wickets from 15 matches, and a lot more was expected out of him. Having said that, a few KKR players looked certain to be retained, including 2024 skipper Shreyas Iyer, Rinku Singh, Sunil Narine and Harshit Rana.
Now that Russell misses the bus, KKR might also be interested in retaining someone like a Ramandeep Singh, who impressed in the Emerging Asia Cup T20. There he picked up three wickets and also smashed an eye-raising innings of 64 vs Afghanistan in the semis.
