IPL 2026: For a city that treats cricketing idols like royalty, Tuesday evening was a day of honor for a legend. At Knights Unplugged, Kolkata Knight Riders retired the No. 12 jersey to pay tribute to Andre Russell, celebrating his strength and loyalty before a packed crowd.

Venky Mysore, CEO of KKR, walked up to the stage and held a specially framed momento of the KKR jersey.

"In your honour, we would like to retire this number for KKR," Mysore said, explaining that, in the future, no other franchise player can wear the jersey that belonged to Russell.

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This event traces back to the tense period before last year’s auction. At that time, speculation grew that Dre Russ might enter the auction, but Russell had already decided to stay. He posted an emotional video on his official social media, revealing his exclusive commitment to Kolkata. In the video, he stated that if he weren't representing KKR, he wouldn't play in the tournament.

Watch the video here:

Staying true to his name, Russell showed his batting prowess across various T20 franchise leagues and is now entering a new phase in the IPL. For the 2026 season, he transitions from batter to power coach, helping youngsters enhance their finishing skills from the dugout.

I LEFT EVERYTHING ON THE FIELD

After viewing a video summarizing his decade-long journey with KKR, Russell became emotional. His team's statistics show dominance: 2651 runs at a strike rate of 174.18 and 123 wickets. He played a key role in the 2014 title win and served as a veteran during the 2024 championship run. "I got a bit emotional watching that video," Russell was heard saying at the event.

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"It's been over a decade of amazing achievements, having been part of two title-winning teams. To see what it meant to everyone... that's a different enjoyment. World Cups feel special. When you win the IPL, it's something different. The last one we won, I got teary-eyed. When you have left everything on the field, you don't regret walking away from the game," he added.

"Every game I played, I played like it was the last game of my IPL career", he further said.

Russell expressed his excitement about joining the coaching staff, which he sees as among the best in the tournament. Abhishek Nayar serves as head coach, and Shane Watson as assistant coach.

"I have no regrets about this role. We have a young, talented coaching staff, which makes my job easier. I hope my knowledge can help them," he concluded.

Although Andre Russell's jersey has been retired this season, the Kolkata franchise also made another bold decision: appointing Rinku Singh as vice-captain for 2026. Ajinkya Rahane will lead the team and aim for a strong comeback after finishing eighth last year.

The Ajinkya Rahane-led side will face the Mumbai Indians in their tournament opener at the Wankhede Stadium later this week.