Has Andre Russell represented any other team in IPL before, apart from KKR?
Former West Indies all-rounder and one of the greatest T20 players, Andre Russell, was released by the Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. Russell was with the Knight Riders for 12 seasons and has also played for the franchise's satellite teams in the ILT20, the MLC and the CPL.
Andre Russell being released by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) was a huge surprise for many, given that the 12-year partnership came to an end. There were murmurs of Russell's departure from the franchise last year as well but it seems like the franchise decided to pull the plug, keeping the all-rounder's deteriorating form and fitness in mind. Will Knight Riders buy him back or will Russell finish his IPL career at a different franchise? That will be an interesting storyline to follow at the IPL 2026 auction next month.
To answer the question in the headline, yes, Russell has played for another team and that's the Delhi Capitals or the Daredevils, when he represented the capital-based franchise. Russell was picked as a 23-year-old by the then Delhi Daredevils in 2012 and went on to play for a couple of seasons for the side. Russell played seven matches for the Delhi side before being released. Russell was picked by the Knight Riders in the 2014 mega auction and ended up winning the title in the first season itself.
Russell and Knight Riders had almost become synonymous, given that the Jamaican all-rounder kept turning up for the franchise year after year and kept giving performances to remember. 2019, in particular, was Russell's season, where he smoked 510 runs, averaging 56, while striking at 204.82. Even in the title-winning season for the Knight Riders in 2024, Russell played a few match-winning knocks, which is why, seeing the big man struggle the very next season was heartbreaking for everyone involved.
In that season too, Russell, in that one knock against the Rajasthan Royals at the Eden Gardens, reminded everyone of what he can do. The Knight Riders will obviously want to get him back at a lower price point, but it will not be a surprise if he gets bid by teams like the Chennai Super Kings, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Delhi Capitals. Having represented the Knight Riders in the ILT20 (Abu Dhabi), the MLC (LA) and the CPL (Trinbago) as well, separating Russell from purple and gold has been very difficult and it will be trickier for the fans of the three-time champions to witness the all-rounder donning another colour in the IPL.
Russell, who will be turning out for the Pretoria Capitals in the upcoming season of the SA20, may be bought back by the Delhi franchise too, after all those years in a homecoming of sorts, but the purse Chennai Super Kings have, a season in yellow for the Jamaican too won't be a surprise.