IPL 2026 Retention: KKR's full list of retained players and players' salary
Russell, who joined KKR in 2014, had been one of the franchise's longest-serving and most influential overseas players
 "IPL 2026 Retention: KKR's full list of retained players and players' salary")
Kolkata Knight Riders have triggered one of the most stunning decisions in IPL history, releasing star all-rounder Andre Russell ahead of the IPL 2026 mini auction — a move that is set to send shockwaves through their fanbase.
Russell, who joined KKR in 2014, had been one of the franchise’s longest-serving and most influential overseas players. He was among the five cricketers retained ahead of the 2025 mega auction at a price of ₹12 crore, signalling his continued importance. His release marks a significant shift in KKR’s long-term planning.
KKR have also released several other overseas names, including Moeen Ali, Anrich Nortje, Quinton de Kock, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Spencer Johnson, clearing substantial space in their squad and purse.
Another major call — though not entirely unexpected — is the release of Venkatesh Iyer, who struggled for consistency over the past two seasons.
With the departures of Russell and a group of high-value overseas players, KKR now enter the auction with a strong purse of ₹64.3 crore, giving them one of the largest spending capacities for the 2026 season.
The franchise is expected to be among the most active bidders at the auction as it looks to rebuild its core around a fresh set of marquee players.
| KKR released players | ||||
| Player name | IPL 2026 team | IPL 2025 team | Current Salary | Previous salary |
| Venkatesh Iyer | TBD | KKR | TBD | Rs 23.75 crore |
| Andre Russell | TBD | KKR | TBD | Rs 12 crore |
| Anrich Nortje | TBD | KKR | TBD | Rs 6.5 crore |
| Quinton de Kock | TBD | KKR | TBD | Rs 3.6 crore |
| Spencer Johnson | TBD | KKR | TBD | Rs 2.8 crore |
| Rahmanullah Gurbaz | TBD | KKR | TBD | Rs 2 crore |
| Moeen Ali | TBD | KKR | TBD | Rs 2 crore |
| Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) retained players ahead of IPL 2026 auction | |||
| Player | Type | Base (INR Cr) | Sold (INR Cr) |
| Rinku Singh | BAT | - | 13 |
| Varun Chakravarthy | AR | - | 12 |
| Sunil Narine | BOWL | - | 12 |
| Harshit Rana | BOWL | - | 4 |
| Ramandeep Singh | AR | - | 4 |
| Angkrish Raghuvanshi | BAT | 0.3 | 3 |
| Vaibhav Arora | BOWL | 0.3 | 1.8 |
| Rovman Powell | BAT | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Ajinkya Rahane | BAT | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Umran Malik | BOWL | 0.75 | 0.75 |
| Manish Pandey | BAT | 0.75 | 0.75 |
| Anukul Roy | AR | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Luvnith Sisodia | BAT | 0.3 | 0.3 |
| Mayank Markande (Traded) | BOWL | 0.3 | 0.3 |