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Former Australia captain Aaron Finch reckons the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) can let go of star all-rounder Andre Russell ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, and try to get a good trade for him. However, Finch also believes the Knight Riders will not let go of Russell and most certainly retain him.Russell, who joined the Knight Riders in 2014, has been a mainstay at the franchise, proving instrumental in their title victories in his first season with them and in 2024. He also won the Most Valuable Player of the Season award twice in 2015 and 2019.However, in the 2025 season, the Jamaican all-rounder largely struggled with the bat, managing only 167 runs in 13 games at 18.55. With the ball, the 37-year-old picked up only eight scalps at 27.12.Speaking on Star Sports ahead of the retention deadline, Finch said when asked about Russell's prospects:"Contentious one. Fold. But I think that you could get a great trade. But we know that they are not going to do it. They will never release Dre Rus."In the same video, the retired Australian cricketer stated that the three-time champions, KKR, should let go of Venkatesh Iyer and Quinton de Kock but retain Spencer Johnson.KKR had failed to reach the playoffs in IPL 2025Ajinkya Rahane could be released by KKR. (Credits: Getty)KKR endured a season to forget, failing to reach the playoffs in 2025 after managing only five wins in 14 games to finish eighth in the points table. Ajinkya Rahane, who had been appointed captain, failed to create the same impact as Shreyas Iyer did for the Knight Riders in their title-winning 2024 season.Kolkata will not only look to perform well in the auction this time but also translate that on the field. The deadline for retentions has been set to November 15, while the mini auction is likely to take place mid-December. The venue and dates are yet to be finalized.
