Russell & du Plessis Make Shocking IPL 2026 Announcements
Two IPL legends have confirmed major decisions ahead of the IPL 2026 mini auction on December 16 in Abu Dhabi.
Faf du Plessis has opted out of the IPL 2026 auction, while Andre Russell has announced his retirement from the league. The news of their decisions were announced via Instagram posts of both the players.
Faf du Plessis opts out of IPL 2026
Former South Africa and Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Faf du Plessis has ended his long association with the IPL. The 41-year-old announced on November 29 that he will not register for the upcoming auction and will instead play in the Pakistan Super League (PSL) in 2026.
Du Plessis, who made his IPL debut for Chennai Super Kings in 2012, enjoyed some of his best years at CSK. He won the title with them in 2018 and 2021, becoming one of their most consistent top-order batters. He later captained RCB from 2022-2024 before Delhi Capitals picked him up for IPL 2025.
The 2025 season was underwhelming for the South African batter. Du Plessis scored 202 runs at an average of 22.44 and DC struggled throughout with their opening combinations. After Delhi released him ahead of the IPL 2026 mini auction, it is evident that all franchises would shift focus towards domestic and long-term prospects.
Despite stepping away now, du Plessis did not rule out returning to the IPL in a coaching role or even as a player in the future.
He finishes with 154 IPL matches, scoring 4773 runs at a strike rate of 135.78 and an average of 35.09 in an IPL career spanning 14 years.
Andre Russell retires from the IPL
In another major announcement, Andre Russell also announced his retirement from the Indian Premier League ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. The 37-year-old allrounder announced he will not sign with another team and will instead join Kolkata Knight Riders’ support staff as their “power coach” for IPL 2026.
Russell was released by KKR ahead of the auction. The franchise added ₹12 crore to its purse in the process.
The West Indian allrounder leaves behind one of the most impactful careers in the league. Across 140 IPL matches, Russell scored 2651 runs at a strike rate of 174.18 and took 123 wickets at an economy of 9.51. His best bowling figure remains 5/15.
Russell made his debut in 2012 for Delhi Daredevils before moving to KKR in 2014. He played 133 matches for the franchise and won two IPL titles in 2014 and 2024. He also won the MVP award twice in 2015 and 2019, cementing his status as one of the most dangerous finishers the league has ever seen.
His form dipped in IPL 2025, where he scored just 167 runs and took 8 wickets at an economy of 11.94. That contributed to KKR’s decision to release him and add funds to their auction purse.
Russell confirmed he will continue playing in other T20 leagues around the world.