The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have made a historic gesture, retiring Andre Russell’s iconic No. 12 jersey and honouring one of the most destructive all-rounders. The decision serves as a tribute to Russell’s immense contribution to the team. Over the years, he delivered a number of unforgettable performances, shining in both the batting and bowling departments and consistently proving his worth.
His standout season was in 2019, where he scored 510 runs at a staggering strike rate of 204.81 and an average of 56.66. Russell, who joined KKR in 2014, featured in 140 IPL matches for KKR, scoring 2,651 runs at a strike rate of 174.17 and picking up 123 wickets.
"In your honour, we would like to retire this number for KKR,” KKR’s CEO Venky Mysore announced during the franchise’s preseason event, Knights Unplugged, show.
Notably, last year in November, Russell called time on his IPL career and later became KKR's power coach. Talking about KKR's campaign in the IPL 2026, they will face Mumbai Indians in their opening match on Sunday at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.