West Indies all-rounder and IPL star Andre Russell has been released by Kolkata Knight Riders ahead of the IPL 2026 mini-auction. This ends his long, remembered journey with the franchise, having attained status as one of the most destructive finishers in league history. Russell has a career strike rate of plus 174 in the IPL and has taken 123 wickets, making him one of the most valuable T20 players in the world. His IPL 2025 season may have been sub-par, the average was 18.56, the strike rate 163.73, and he ended up with an economy rate of over 12.5 with the ball. But his reputation as a game-winner remains intact. Not too many are better than him at turning any game with bat and ball on his day. And given that quite a few franchises have big auction purses and are looking at an effective overseas all-rounder, he could get quite some interest. 4 Teams That Can Target Andre Russell in IPL 2026 Auction Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) KKR, who released Russell, are likely to attempt buying him back. They have the biggest purse of INR 64.30 crore and need to fill 13 slots, including six overseas positions. Releasing Russell, who earned INR 12 crore, feels like a purely strategic call to free up funds to re-enter the bidding at a lower price. With his deep connection with the franchise, the experience at Eden Gardens, and the strong support he enjoys from fans, KKR will be one of the most likely teams that would want to target him again. Re-signing him could rebuild their power-packed finishing unit. Also Read | IPL 2026 Auction: Teams Likely to Start a Bidding War for Rachin Ravindra Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Chennai Super Kings also enter the auction with a big purse of INR 43.40 crore, having let go of several all-rounders. The franchise wants to refresh their lower middle order and need a proven finisher at either No. 6 or No. 7. Russell fits the bill to the tee. His experience, power-hitting ability, and the ability to bowl a few odd overs make him a perfect candidate. CSK places a high premium on multi-talented players, and Russell would be the instantaneous difference he could make to their squad for IPL 2026. CSK has a lot of money and a big gap in its lineup; thus, it is expected to chase him aggressively. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) The Lucknow Super Giants have INR 22.95 crore remaining and need an overseas all-rounder who can give them firepower in the death overs. Having released David Miller, they do not have a big-hitting finisher in the lower-middle order. Russell’s hitting power and ability to bowl 2-3 overs make him a great fit. Pairing him with Nicholas Pooran would give LSG one of the most explosive late-overs combinations in the IPL. Also Read | IPL 2026 Auction: 5 Star Players Who May Go Unsold This Season Delhi Capitals (DC) They have retained bowlers like Mitchell Starc and Dushmantha Chameera, but with no strong overseas finisher, DC have to rebuild their overseas batting unit after releasing Faf du Plessis and Jake Fraser-McGurk. They have INR 21.80 crore in their kitty. Russell can fill this gap. His experience and all-round skills can help DC strengthen their middle order and give them a reliable bowling option. With KL Rahul and Ashutosh Sharma forming their Indian core, Russell brings the balance DC are searching for.