The league format of cricket has always parented power hitting, with the Indian Premier League being one the ultimate showhouse of it. And when it comes to powerhitting, West Indian players come to mind. With Andre Russell announcing his retirement from the Indian Premier League, let's look at the top five West Indian player who have ever participated in the IPL, and has marked with both the bat and the ball. 1 | Chris Gayle: The trademark helmet-on-the-bat celebration used to be a common one during Gayle's playing days. Playing for Kolkata Knight Riders, Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gayle had his best years for RCB, especially 2011, 2012 and 2013, sharing a good number of fond memories with the then captain Virat Kohli. There was a time when fans joked about wearing helmets in the gallery because of his big hitting abilities. His 175* off 66 balls in the 2013 edition has been the proof of the massacre he could do in his prime days. The innings was against Pune Warriors, with him reaching his century in just 30 balls. His innings had 13 boundaries and 17 sixes. Chris Gayle was never a one-match show, but he was consistent. And at the time, he was in his prime; power hitting wasn't as normalized as it is now. The Universe Boss ended his IPL career in 2021, with 4965 runs with a strike rate of 148.96. Not only that, Gayle was a handy bowler and had 18 wickets, mostly coming during his time with RCB. 2 | Kieron Pollard Kieron Pollard has been absolutely vital to the Mumbai Indians (MI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) — his mix of brutal hitting, useful bowling and long‑term loyalty transformed games and helped build MI’s legacy. Over his IPL career, Pollard scored 3,412 runs in 189 matches at a strike rate of roughly 147, while also picking up 69 wickets. One defining moment was the 2013 IPL final. With MI reeling at 52/4, Pollard bludgeoned a brilliant 60 not out off just 32 balls, lifting the team to a defendable total and earning him the Man of the Match as MI clinched their first title But Pollard wasn’t just about the bat — in 2021, for instance, he combined a match‑turning 87* off 34 balls with a tight bowling spell (2 for 12) to lead MI to a thrilling win over the Chennai Super Kings under a daunting 219‑run chase. Perhaps equally important: Pollard’s loyalty. He joined MI in 2010 and stayed with them for more than a decade, becoming a backbone of the franchise. Retained as MI’s batting coach post-retirement, Pollard’s influence extends beyond stats, reflecting his value as a leader and a T20 icon. 3 | DJ Bravo: Dwayne Bravo remains one of the most iconic and cherished figures in Indian Premier League (IPL) history — and for good reason. Across a long IPL career spanning from 2008 to 2022, he played 161 matches, scored 1,560 runs and picked up 183 wickets — making him (for a long time) the highest wicket‑taker in IPL history. Bravo’s ability to shift matches with both bat and ball made him a genuine match‑winner. He won the prestigious Purple Cap twice (in 2013 and 2015), becoming only the second bowler ever to do so. Perhaps his most dramatic single‑handed impact came in the 2018 season opener: chasing 166 and staring at collapse (118/8), Bravo hammered a blistering 68 off just 30 balls to bring Chennai Super Kings back into contention — ultimately leading to a one‑wicket win over Mumbai Indians. His power‑hitting under pressure revived the innings and enthralled fans. 4 | Andre Russell: One of the most loyal men to KKR since he joined the franchise in 2014—Andre Russell is not just loved within the franchise but also in the allies of the city. This man has carried the team single-handedly on his shoulders for so long that fans bought tickets just to watch him on the field. Started his career with Delhi Daredevils in 2012; the lower-order batter all-rounder had his best years with KKR. Andre Russell is one of those T20 players whose value goes far beyond just booming sixes. With the bat, he is a fearsome hitter — in the Indian Premier League (IPL) he has smashed over 200 sixes and regularly changed games with late‑innings carnage. With the ball, he was a medium taking 120+ IPL wickets. His 5/15 against the Mumbai Indians in IPL while his explosive 88 not out off just 36 balls against CSK still remain as some of the best innings of his. Currently the franchise has appointed him as the power coach for the 2026 season. Read also: What is a Power Coach in Cricket? Andre Russell’s New KKR Role Explained 5 | Sunil Narine: Even though Sunil Narine's bowling abilities were bloomed from the early days of the IPL, his batting powers were unleashed much later. Thank to the then captain of KKR Guatm Gambhir who decided to promote Narine to the opening slot, and get good use of the power play. Gambhir who was always obsessive over a left-right combination, foundNarine's left-handedness handy too. Narine didn't fail his captain, as he had a few of his fastest IPL half-centuries (50 off 15) while having a ton (109 off 56 balls). With the ball, he has a potential match winner. His 5‑wicket haul (5 for 19) against Punjab Kings in 2012 and his 3/18 in 2018 while defending 129 against Delhi Capitals, are those intants of Narine's greatness. Notably, Narine's bowling action was questioned during the 2014-15 tenure and was temporarily banned. He came back with an changed action that wore off his mystery but could never demean his value in the team. Among all the West Indian great that ever entertained the IPL fans, Sunil Narine is still the one who is playing keeping the childhood alive for many fans.