Australia allrounder Cameron Green rewrote IPL auction history after being snapped up by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for a staggering INR 25.20 crore, making him the most expensive overseas player ever and the third-costliest buy overall. Only Rishabh Pant (INR 27 crore) and Shreyas Iyer (INR 26.75 crore) have fetched higher prices at an IPL auction.
KKR doubled down on their spending spree by also landing Sri Lankan pace sensation Matheesha Pathirana for INR 18 crore, the second-highest price paid at the IPL 2026 auction.
Yet, despite the big overseas buys, the spotlight firmly belonged to India’s uncapped youngsters. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) sent shockwaves through the auction room by paying INR 14.2 crore each for 20-year-old left-arm spin allrounder Prashant Veer and 19-year-old wicketkeeper Kartik Sharma. Their deals shattered the previous record for an uncapped Indian player, held by Avesh Khan since 2022. Adding to the trend, Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler Auqib Nabi earned a major payday when Delhi Capitals (DC) picked him up for INR 8.4 crore.
KKR entered the auction with the biggest purse of INR 64.3 crore and were forced into a tense bidding war with CSK for Green. Mumbai Indians initiated the bidding but exited quickly due to their limited purse, while Rajasthan Royals pushed the price past INR 13 crore before backing out. The final duel between KKR and CSK stretched over ten minutes before KKR emerged victorious.
Although Green’s hammer price stood at INR 25.20 crore, IPL regulations cap overseas player salaries at INR 18 crore at mini-auctions. The remaining INR 7.2 crore will be diverted to the BCCI’s player welfare fund.
Green’s IPL journey began in 2023 with Mumbai Indians, where he impressed with 452 runs at a strike rate of 160.28 alongside six wickets. A year later, he was traded to RCB, contributing 255 runs and ten wickets. He skipped the IPL 2025 mega auction while recovering from a back injury.
The early rounds of the auction saw subdued bidding. South Africa’s David Miller was picked up by DC at base price, while notable names like Jake Fraser-McGurk, Prithvi Shaw, Devon Conway and Sarfaraz Khan initially went unsold. Interest picked up slightly among allrounders, with Wanindu Hasaranga joining Lucknow Super Giants and Venkatesh Iyer moving to RCB.
Momentum surged during the accelerated rounds. CSK secured Sarfaraz Khan at base price, Sunrisers Hyderabad splurged INR 13 crore on Liam Livingstone, and DC brought back Prithvi Shaw for INR 75 lakh. KKR strengthened their pace attack with Mustafizur Rahman, while other franchises made late but decisive moves for players like Jason Holder, Pathum Nissanka, Rahul Chahar and Josh Inglis.
Reflecting on CSK’s strategy, coach Stephen Fleming highlighted the importance of patience and discipline, admitting it was difficult to watch quality players go cheaply before executing their endgame plans.
By the end of the day, while big-money overseas stars grabbed headlines, it was the rise of fearless, uncapped Indian talent that truly defined the IPL auction — signalling a new generation ready to cash in and take centre stage.
