Kolkata Knight Riders came out in support of Andre Russell in the Indian Premier League auction in Bengaluru on Monday (February 20) after the all-rounder was banned for a year for violating the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) whereabouts clause. Russell won't be available for the tenth edition of the IPL for the franchise.
Even with no clarity over the retention rule for the next edition, and with most players set to go into the auction pool, Knight Riders decided to retain Russell. The franchise could have easily released him and went into the auction with an increased purse but revealed they are keen on retaining him. What they did best was work their strategy around it and acquire the services of Trent Boult, Chris Woakes and Nathan Coulter-Nile to fill the void.
"It's unfortunate that Russell has received a sanction for what I would call an administrative error," Venky Mysore, the CEO of Knight Riders, said. "There has been a slip-up somewhere and I know it's not his fault. He can't play this year, but we haven't released him. Next year, depending on retention rules, we'll try and keep him with us."

In reply to CaribbeanCricket.com

So the Jamaica cricket board, by their silence, refused to support Russell and the cancerous WICBC, well they don't support their slaves.

But the IPL team came out in strong support. Small wonder why WI players choose foreign franchise over the WICBC.

In reply to Emir

Don't be too simplistic here. Motives by business entities will make a difference in approach(es) as opposed to non-profit organsations.

Further, Russell's IPL team appears to be usurping the authority of WADA.

This undermines the work of the international body...not good.

In reply to Emir
Support Russel how? Based on what?

In reply to Courtesy

What??

CWI and JCA are charities?

Makes sense why they operate the way they do then

In reply to DIEHARD

Brother, the structure of international cricket and the nature of bilateral arrangements do not allow these organisations to exist solely for profit.

Their revenues are cyclical and they operate in the red for considerable periods. In fact. CWI is at the mercy of ICC for an annual subvention to run the organisation.

No need to say about the difficulties of the JCB to tap resources for its very survival.

These organisations are victims of circumstance...and operate with cup in hand just like charities.