Kolkata Knight Riders, the three-time IPL champions who tasted success as recently as 2024 under captain Shreyas Iyer and mentor Gautam Gambhir, found themselves slipping into an underwhelming campaign in 2025. The defending champions finished eighth, a fall few saw coming. KKR have not tip-toed into the IPL 2026 cycle. They have ripped up their old blueprint and arrived with the largest purse in the room. Andre Russell, a cricketer virtually synonymous with KKR for a decade, was released in a move that stunned the league. Venkatesh Iyer , signed for a staggering Rs 23.75 crore at the mega auction, has also been let go. Shortly after, Russell announced his retirement from the IPL and moved into the franchise as a Power Coach. On top of that, KKR have offloaded all their frontline wic

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