IPL 2026 auction offered all ten franchises an opportunity to strengthen their squad ahead of a new season. The likes of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Rajasthan Royals (RR), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had to do some rebuilding after a disappointing IPL 2025.
It offered some seasoned T20 players a chance to find themselves at the auction table and earn a huge payday. Australia all-rounder Cameron Green emerged as the most expensive player in the IPL 2026 auction. KKR, which released all-rounders Andre Russell, Venkatesh Iyer, and Moeen Ali ahead of the auction, bought the 26-year-old for ₹25.20 crore,
This blog looks deep into how Cameron Green emerged as the most expensive player at the IPL 2026 auction.
The Cameroon Green Story So Far
Cameron Green came into the IPL 2026 auction after missing the previous edition, having to recover from a back surgery. He had represented Mumbai Indians (MI) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the 2023 and 2024 editions.
In the 2023 auction, MI purchased him for ₹17.50 crore. He had an excellent season with the bat, scoring 452 runs in 16 outings at a strike rate of 160. However, he was traded to RCB the following season. Green made 256 runs in 13 matches for the Red and Gold Brigade in the 2024 season.
With many franchises letting go of all-rounders, the Aussie was one of the hot picks in the 2026 auction. He had set himself in the highest base price category – ₹2 crore.
The Kolkata Knight Riders Rebuild
Heading to the 2026 auction, KKR released their captain, Venkatesh Iyer, and six overseas players, including Andre Russell, Moeen Ali, Quinton de Kock, and Rahmanullah Gurbaz. The IPL 2024 champions had a disappointing eighth-place finish in the 2025 edition.
Unsurprisingly, KKR had the highest cash purse in the auction – ₹64.30 crore. It made them likely contenders to sign the most expensive player at the 2026 auction. They had history too – purchasing Mitchell Starc for ₹24.75 crore in 2024 and splashing ₹23.75 Crore for Venkatesh Iyer in 2025.
IPL 2026 Auction
Green was in the first set of players in the auction due to his manager mistakenly marking him as a batter. The auctioneer called up his name after Devon Conway went unsold. MI placed the opening bid, with RR rivaling it. KKR also jumped in at ₹2.80 crore.
What followed was an intense bidding between RR and KKR. RR, who had only a cash purse of ₹16.05 crore, decided to withdraw after KKR raised the bid to ₹13.60 crore. But before KKR could seal the bid, CSK came into the picture.
📽️ Cameron Green is a KNIGHT 💜
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) December 16, 2025
The all-rounder had the auction room buzzing 🔥
He becomes the most expensive overseas pick in the history of #TATAIPLAuction 😮👏#TATAIPL pic.twitter.com/DtB9aixO3o
With four overseas slots to fill, CSK, with a cash purse of ₹43.40 crore, was keen to add Green to their roster. They went toe-to-toe with KKR and took the bid to over ₹20 crore. However, the five-time IPL champions surrendered at ₹25.20 crore.
KKR, for a third auction in a row, signed a player in excess of ₹24 crore. The three-time IPL winners also added prominent T20 players like Matheesha Pathirana, Mustafizur Rahman (later released), Rachin Ravindra, Finn Allen, and Tim Seifert.
The Player Welfare Fund
Overseas players can earn a maximum salary of ₹18 crore in IPL mini-auctions. In the case of Green, his remaining bid amount is directed to a Player Welfare Fund, created for player development, infrastructure, and financial assistance for ex-cricketers.
Most Expensive Players in IPL History
Green is third in the list of the most expensive players in IPL history. Though he entered the auction as a batter, the former MI and RCB player is the only all-rounder to have received a bid over ₹25 crore in the auction. Here are the top 5 biggest purchases in IPL auctions:
- Rishabh Pant – The dashing wicketkeeper-batter was predicted to break auction records when he was released by Delhi Capitals ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. He fetched an astonishing ₹27.00 crore from Lucknow Super Giants. It is the highest-ever bid for a player at the IPL auction. Rishabh Pant was also appointed captain, replacing KL Rahul, who joined Delhi Capitals.
- Shreyas Iyer – Shreyas Iyer and KKR parted ways after the batter led the Kolkata outfit to a third IPL crown. Franchises went after him at the auction, and Punjab Kings (PBKS) sealed his signature for a fee of ₹26.75 crore. Iyer led PBKS to their first playoff berth in 11 seasons and secured a runner-up finish.
- Cameron Green – The Aussie is the most expensive overseas player in IPL history. KKR bought him for ₹25.20 in the 2026 auction. It was not the first time Green fetched a significant amount at the auction, as Green was the second-highest buy in the IPL 2023 auction. MI paid ₹17.50 crore for the then 23-year-old.
- Mitchell Starc – The left-arm pacer emerged as the costliest buy in the IPL 2024 mini-auction. KKR bought the Aussie great for ₹24.75 crore. Mitchell Starc was making a re-entry to IPL after last featuring in 2015. He had an excellent campaign, picking 17 wickets in 14 matches, including a Player of the Match performance of 2/14 in the final.
- Venkatesh Iyer – The all-rounder emerged as the biggest surprise package in the IPL 2025 auction. KKR, which released him before the auction, shelled out ₹23.75 crore to re-sign him. He was appointed vice-captain. However, he had a disappointing campaign. The left-handed batter managed just 142 runs in 11 matches and didn’t feature in KKR’s retained player list for the 2026 season.
The onus will be on Green to deliver in the famous black and gold jersey after emerging as the most expensive signing of the season. Only time will tell if Green can live up to the expectations of the three-time champions in the upcoming season.