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Andre Russell retires from IPL: 5 knocks in KKR jersey that defined Dre Russ legacy

Soumyajit Dutta

Andre Russell [Source: AFP Photos]Andre Russell [Source: AFP Photos]

Andre Russell, the big powerhouse of the Kolkata Knight Riders, has announced his retirement from IPL on November 30, 2025, just days before the IPL mini auction, which is scheduled to take place on December 16.

The all-rounder has taken up the role as KKR's backroom staff, but his leisure days as a cricketer lie in front of multiple glorious stories that etched his name as the core of the purple and gold.

Besides his bowling heroics, Russell has some textbook knocks in the IPL that made him rule the 22 yards. After the West Indies player bowed out from the format that crowned him as one of the kings, here are some of the best knocks of Andre Russell in IPL.

1) 88 off 36 vs CSK in 2018

Playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders, Andre Russell was an absolute beast with a 36-ball 88 in the 5th match of the IPL in 2018. At Chennai, Russell scripted a monumental knock that revived KKR from 5/89 to 6/202 as Russell played an unbeaten knock with 11 sixes to his name. 

The monstrosity saw a 244 strike rate and helped Kolkata pile up a total of 202 runs as the top and middle order faltered. However, to Russell's ill fate, the knock didn't see Kolkata win the game as notable contributions from CSK's Sam Billings, Shane Watson, and Ambati Rayudu saw CSK win the game with one ball remaining.

2) 80 off 40 vs MI in 2019

Andre Russell's one of the most memorable knocks was against the Mumbai Indians back in 2019 when he rocked Eden Gardens with a 40-ball 80 to etch one of the highest totals for KKR in IPL history.

After Shubman Gill gave a flying start to KKR with his 45-ball 76 and Chris Lynn's 29-ball 54, Russell came up the order to bat at number 3 and scored an unbeaten 80 runs from 40 balls to strike at 200.00. The monstrosity caused KKR to pile up 232 runs at the end of 20 overs as Mumbai Indians faltered in the chase despite Hardik Pandya's heroic 91.

3) 70 off 31 vs PBKS in 2022

Once again in purple and gold, Andre Russell shone with the bat, but this time in a winning cause. Punjab Kings faltered while giving a target in the 8th match in 2022 and were wrapped up within 137 runs, thanks to notable contributions from Umesh Yadav's 4-fer. 

Though the target was not a mammoth one, Kolkata Knight Riders struggled to pick up the pace and tumbled for 4 wickets for 51 runs inside 7 overs. Andre Russell came to the rescue with his 31-ball 70, which was laced with 8 sixes and 2 boundaries while striking at 225.80 alongside an unbeaten Sam Billings to chase the total inside 20 overs.

4) 66 off 36 vs KXIP in 2015

This one rolls back a decade ago when Russell was just warming himslef up in the KKR tent after being roped in just a year ago. On an April 18th night back in 2015, Andre Russell played the role of the hero at Pune. With Kolkata Knight Riders crumbling at 60 for 5 in 8 overs, the game seemed lost. But Russell stepped in and used pure, brutal force to change the story. 

Russell settled himself with a few big swings before unleashing a devastating attack in the 13th over, where he smashed 19 runs to shatter George Bailey-led KXIP's confidence in a 156-run chase. His fearless hitting read a strike rate of 183 with 9 boundaries and 2 sixes to his name, which led the team to victory inside 17.5 overs.

5) 65 off 25 vs RCB in 2019

Russell has been phenomenal against RCB throughout his days in the league, and the 2019 clash against RCB at KKR's home turf was no different. After RCB put up a mammoth 213 for Kolkata to chase, KKR struggled after Robin Uthappa fell in the 12th over with the scoreboard showing 4 wickets for 79 runs. 

Russell came in at number 6 to play a blitzkrieg knock of 65 runs off 25 balls before getting run out by Virat Kohli. He was striking at 260.00 with 9 sixes and 2 boundaries to his name, and though his efforts were up to the mark, Nitish Rana and Dinesh Karthik, who remained unbeaten, couldn't see an end to the game as RCB won the match by 10 runs.