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Former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) all-rounder Andre Russell revealed in a conversation with Cricbuzz that stepping away from Indian Premier League (IPL) was the right move for him at this stage of his career.

He said he didn't want to "fade away" with declining performances and felt it was better to bow out on his own terms. Russell also admitted that the IPL is far tougher than most other T20 leagues around the world, making the decision even more significant.

"Take Usain Bolt, for example, or AB de Villiers. When those guys hung up their boots while still at the top of their game, a lot of fans were asking, “why?” When I made this decision, I felt it was the best decision for me at this point. I don’t want to fade out; I want to leave a legacy behind. I believe it’s best to retire when people still say "why" rather than reaching a stage where they say, ‘okay, yeah, you should have retired three or four years ago‘," Russell said.

While discussing his new role as KKR’s power coach for IPL 2026, Russell acknowledged that the position - and the responsibilities that come with it - is a completely new experience for him.

“To be honest, when I heard that name coming from Mr Venky (Mysore, the CEO), I said, hmm, that describes Dre Russ perfectly, that describes Andre Russell… because when it comes to what I’ve been doing on the field - the power that I possess when I bat, the energy that I show in the field with the ball in hand - I thought, yeah, this name sounds good: POWER COACH,” Russell added.

After a long association with KKR, Andre Russell’s journey as a player came to an end when the franchise released him ahead of IPL 2026 auction.

However, his connection with the team continues, as he has now taken up a role in support staff. Russell has finally spoken about what led him to step away from the IPL as an active player.