“@Russell12A no doubt you will remain a Knight Rider until you retire from the game & beyond! #Superman”.
Venky Mysore and Andre Russell share a bond that goes far beyond the Indian Premier League (IPL). Russell is a Knight Rider through and through, having turned out not just for Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL, but also for Abu Dhabi Knight Riders in the ILT20, Trinbago Knight Riders in the CPL, and Los Angeles Knight Riders in the MLC. The Knight Riders franchise has shown unwavering faith in him-and rightly so. With 9,042 runs and 471 wickets to his name, Russell stands tall as one of the greatest T20 cricketers the game has ever seen.
Back in 2020, Russell expressed his desire to wear the KKR jersey until retirement. Venky Mysore, CEO of the Knight Riders, reassured him that he would remain a part of the Knight Riders setup-not just in the IPL, but beyond. Over more than a decade, Russell has rewarded that trust, prompting KKR to retain him year after year.
But 2025 has been far from kind to the hulking Jamaican all-rounder.
Andre Russell struggles
For a batter who has maintained a strike rate of around 170 over a 14-year career, Andre Russell’s 2025 IPL form has been a shadow of his former self. His strike rate this season sits at a modest 109.67, and an average of just 6.80 only adds to the gloom. On Tuesday, when the Knight Riders took on the Punjab Kings at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, Russell had both the time and the opportunity to turn things around.
It was a chance to rescue KKR from the ignominy of conceding the record for the lowest total ever defended in IPL history. And for a moment, it looked like he just might. A couple of clean sixes, including a 16-run over off Yuzvendra Chahal in the 14th, had fans hoping for one of Russell’s trademark rescue acts. But fate had other ideas.
Marco Jansen induced a false stroke, and an inside edge rattled the stumps, bringing Russell’s innings and KKR’s hopes crashing down. Head bowed in disbelief, Russell walked off as the Knight Riders were bundled out for 95 in just 15.1 overs. They lost their last seven wickets for a mere 23 runs, marking one of the most dramatic collapses in IPL history.
Russell playing on reputation?
While Russell the batter has struggled, Russell the bowler hasn’t fared much better this season. Despite picking up five wickets, his economy rate of 13.53 is the worst among all KKR bowlers in IPL 2025. It’s been a nightmare year for the Jamaican in T20 cricket overall, managing just 168 runs across 18 matches at an average of 12.92, along with only seven wickets to his name.
In the ILT20 with the Abu Dhabi Knight Riders, Russell’s form continued to dip, scoring just 130 runs from 10 games at an average of 18.57. He also failed to make an impact in his lone appearance for Rangpur Riders in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL). Former India wicketkeeper Saba Karim didn’t mince words, suggesting that the 36-year-old is still in the KKR lineup more for his past reputation than present form.
“This is not the first season that he has disappointed his side-and also himself. I’ve seen Andre Russell not only in the IPL, but even in the other global franchise leagues-he has struggled for runs. And I think he strives to compensate by bowling those two-three overs and picking up wickets. “But if one can be brutally honest, he is part of this setup more because of his reputation,” Karim told Star Sports.
“I don’t see the numbers for the past couple of seasons. When was the last time he came up with a match-winning performance? That’s what you need. That’s the reason why Kolkata Knight Riders have retained him-they want Russell to win such encounters for them. Even while setting a target this season, he has hardly delivered. He has hardly done anything of note. And I think that’s one of the reasons why the lower middle-order of KKR has struggled to some extent,” Karim added.
Time for Russell to shut down critics
Despite their 16-run defeat to PBKS, all is not lost for KKR-or for Andre Russell. With the season at its halfway mark, there’s still time for the Knight Riders to climb out of the slump and make a push for a top-four finish.
However, a couple more slip-ups in the coming games could deepen the hole. Currently, placed sixth, KKR can feel the pressure mounting, with teams like Mumbai Indians (MI), Rajasthan Royals (RR), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) hot on their heels.
The onus is now on Russell to show that he’s in the XI on current merit-not just legacy. He might take inspiration from Mitchell Starc, who had a slow start in IPL 2024 before stepping up when it mattered most in the second half of the tournament.
