Australian allrounder Cameron Green became the most expensive overseas player in IPL history after being bought by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for INR 25.20 crore at the IPL 2026 auction in Kolkata. The deal makes Green the third-most expensive player overall in IPL auctions, behind Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer.
KKR won a prolonged bidding war against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for Green, with the contest lasting over ten minutes. Although the final bid reached INR 25.20 crore, Green will receive INR 18 crore, the maximum salary permitted for overseas players at mini-auctions, with the excess amount going to the BCCI for player welfare.
KKR further strengthened their squad by signing Sri Lankan fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana for INR 18 crore, making him the second-most expensive buy of the auction.
While big overseas names drew attention, the spotlight belonged to uncapped Indian players, who shattered previous auction records. CSK made aggressive late bids to secure 20-year-old left-arm spin allrounder Prashant Veer and 19-year-old wicketkeeper Kartik Sharma for INR 14.2 crore each, surpassing the earlier record of INR 10 crore for an uncapped Indian player.
Another major domestic buy was Jammu and Kashmir fast bowler Auqib Nabi, who was picked up by Delhi Capitals (DC) for INR 8.4 crore.
KKR entered the auction with the largest purse of INR 64.3 crore, while CSK had the second-highest purse of INR 43.4 crore. Mumbai Indians, despite starting the bidding for Green, exited early due to limited funds.
Green, who first appeared in the IPL in 2023 with Mumbai Indians, has played for MI and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in previous seasons. He did not enter the IPL 2025 mega auction as he was recovering from a back injury.
The auction saw mixed interest in established players, with several big names including Jake Fraser-McGurk, Prithvi Shaw, Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, and Liam Livingstone initially going unsold before some were picked up during accelerated rounds.
Among wicketkeepers, Quinton de Kock (MI), Ben Duckett (DC), and Finn Allen (KKR) were all bought at base prices. Wanindu Hasaranga joined Lucknow Super Giants for INR 2 crore, while Venkatesh Iyer was picked up by Royal Challengers Bengaluru for INR 7 crore.
CSK coach Stephen Fleming said the franchise followed a disciplined auction strategy, waiting for key moments rather than bidding early. “You have to believe in the plan, otherwise you end up in a mess,” Fleming remarked.
By the end of the day, only 25 of the first 70 players had been sold, highlighting the selective nature of the bidding, while uncapped Indian talent emerged as the biggest winners of the auction.
