KolkataBefore the 2026 season, the three-time champion Kolkata Knight Riders retired their iconic No. 12 in remembrance of their great cricketer Andre Russell. He played a crucial part in the KKR's championship runs in 2014 and 2024, and the team honored him with a lovely tribute at their preseason event, Knights Unplugged.
During the performance, KKR CEO Venky Mysore declared, "In your honor, we would like to retire this number for KKR."
This was the first IPL team to retire a jersey number. The BCCI had done it twice in Indian cricket, retiring both the 10 and the 7. But in the IPL, it never occurred. Mitchell McClenaghan once created Tedulkar's 7 in MI colors. The franchise hasn't formally retired it, but it hasn't happened since.
Meanwhile, the event featured a visual tribute that captured Russell's years with the team, eliciting an emotional response from the veteran.
"Watching that video made me feel a little emotional. Having been a member of two championship-winning teams, it has been more than ten years of incredible accomplishments. It's a different kind of enjoyment to see what it meant to everyone. World Cups are unique. It's different when you win the IPL. We won the last one, and I started crying. You don't regret leaving the game when you've given it your all. "I played every game as if it were my final IPL match," Russell remarked.
Russell's IPL journey underwent a sea change at that same moment. His future was uncertain before the most recent auction, and it only got worse after KKR decided not to keep him for the upcoming campaign. Russell, however, made the very intriguing decision to accept KKR's offer to become a power coach for the season rather than put his name back in the auction.
I have no regrets about this position: RussellRussell will now contribute in a different way, concentrating on coaching the upcoming generation of finishers, after stepping away from playing duties in the IPL. His move denotes a change from dominance on the field to a supporting role. Russell expressed excitement about collaborating with the current coaching staff, which consists of assistant coach Shane Watson and head coach Abhishek Nayar.
"I don't regret taking on this role. I'm thrilled. Our coaching staff is among the youngest and most skilled. Being a member of a coaching staff like this would be amazing. It facilitates my work. The veteran stated, "I hope whatever knowledge I bring to the table can make their job easier."
The team also announced a change in leadership, with Rinku Singh named vice-captain and set to captain the team. On March 29, Kolkata will play their first game at Wankhede Stadium against the Mumbai Indians.
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