Cameron Green Becomes IPL’s Most Expensive Overseas Player as Uncapped Indians Steal the Show
Cameron Green becomes the most expensive overseas player in IPL history as KKR dominate the IPL 2026 auction. Uncapped Indian stars Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma fetch record prices.
Kolkata Knight Riders win intense bidding war; IPL 2026 auction highlights record-breaking deals
By ESPNcricinfo Staff | December 16, 2025
Australian allrounder Cameron Green has rewritten IPL auction history after being bought by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for a staggering INR 25.20 crore, making him the most expensive overseas player ever at an IPL auction and the third-most expensive player overall.
KKR edged out Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in a prolonged bidding battle lasting over ten minutes, underlining their aggressive intent at the IPL 2026 Auction.
Cameron Green Breaks Overseas Record at IPL Auction 2026
Green’s price surpasses the previous overseas records held by Mitchell Starc (INR 24.75 crore) and Pat Cummins (INR 20.50 crore). Only Rishabh Pant (INR 27 crore) and Shreyas Iyer (INR 26.75 crore) have fetched higher prices in IPL auction history.
However, due to the IPL’s overseas player salary cap at mini-auctions, Green will personally receive INR 18 crore, with the remaining INR 7.2 crore directed to the BCCI Player Welfare Fund.
Matheesha Pathirana Goes Big as KKR Strike Again
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 IPL 2026 auction.
The bidding saw Delhi Capitals (DC) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) initiate the contest before KKR outbid both franchises.
Uncapped Indian Players Make IPL History
While big international names grabbed headlines, the real spotlight fell on uncapped Indian talent.
• Prashant Veer (20), a left-arm spin allrounder
• Kartik Sharma (19), a wicketkeeper-batter
Both were snapped up by Chennai Super Kings for INR 14.20 crore each, breaking Avesh Khan’s 2022 record (INR 10 crore) for the most expensive uncapped Indian player.
Meanwhile, Jammu & Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi earned a career-defining deal, joining Delhi Capitals for INR 8.40 crore.
Auction Dynamics: Big Purses, Strategic Discipline
KKR entered the auction with the largest purse (INR 64.3 crore), while CSK followed with INR 43.4 crore. Mumbai Indians, limited by a purse of INR 2.75 crore, exited early from the Green bidding.
Rajasthan Royals pushed the bid to INR 13.40 crore before stepping aside, allowing the KKR-CSK duel to unfold.
Cameron Green’s IPL Journey So Far
• IPL 2023 (MI):
452 runs, strike rate 160.28, 6 wickets
• IPL 2024 (RCB):
255 runs, strike rate 143.25, 10 wickets
Green skipped the IPL 2025 mega auction while recovering from a back injury, making his return in 2026 even more impactful.
Mixed Returns in Early Auction Sets
Only two batters were sold in the opening set:
• Cameron Green (KKR)
• David Miller (DC – INR 2 crore)
High-profile names such as Jake Fraser-McGurk, Prithvi Shaw, Devon Conway, and Sarfaraz Khan went unsold.
Among allrounders, Wanindu Hasaranga joined LSG for INR 2 crore, while Venkatesh Iyer moved to RCB for INR 7 crore after previously costing KKR INR 23.75 crore.
Wicketkeepers & Late Auction Action
• MI: Quinton de Kock
• DC: Ben Duckett
• KKR: Finn Allen
All were bought at base prices. CSK remained quiet early before unleashing aggressive bids later.
CSK Coach Stephen Fleming on Auction Strategy
“It’s about discipline. You see quality players go cheap, but you must trust the plan. Otherwise, you end up like an ice-cream store — taking everything and paying the price later.”
IPL 2026 Auction: Players Bought (Highlights)
KKR: Cameron Green, Matheesha Pathirana, Finn Allen, Rahul Tripathi, Tim Seifert
CSK: Prashant Veer, Kartik Sharma, Akeal Hosein, Matthew Short
DC: David Miller, Ben Duckett, Auqib Nabi
RCB: Venkatesh Iyer, Jacob Duffy
RR: Ravi Bishnoi
LSG: Wanindu Hasaranga, Anrich Nortje
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