Star Duo’s Underwhelming Form Raises Uncertainty Over KKR IPL 2026 Retention Plans

Two of Kolkata Knight Riders' (KKR) core cricketers' recent performances raise concerns among the franchise followers. In the ongoing Caribbean Premier League (CPL 2025), for KKR's sister concern, Trinbago Knight Riders (TKR), Andre Russell and Sunil Narine failed to live up to their marks. Which might be noted by KKR officials as well.

Ahead of the IPL 2026 mini auction, where the former champion side will be in shot to reinforce their firepower, Narine and Russell's long-lyingform may come as a hovering perturb. In CPL 2025, the pace bowling all-rounder, Andre Russell, who already played his last T20I for the West Indies, scored only 61 runs in 6 innings, including a high of 27. 

Like his batting stats, his bowling stats are also looking cold and not suggestive enough for IPL standards. For TKR, he claimed only 9 wickets in 8 matches at an economy rate of 10.47. Before CPL, Russell played for Major League Cricket (MLC) Los Angeles Knight Riders. There too, his performance was below par. 

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Should KKR release Andre Russell and Sunil Narine?

And Sunil Narine, who started his career as a mystery spinner, later turned into an opener for Kolkata Knight Riders, also perhaps moving towards sunset. In CPL 2025, for TKR, he bagged only 6 wickets in 10 matches, which is way lower than his prime. Though his economy rate is below 6, which is rare in T20 cricket. In CPL, Narine mainly contributes as a bowler, not as a batter, so here his CPL 2025 batting stats may not be appropriate. 

The spinner's MLC 2025 was also unimpressive. In 6 matches he got only 3 scalps with his name. He went to bat three times and bagged a total of 27 runs. With these stats, both Russell and Narine can cause headaches for KKR team management.