IPL 2026 Auction: Cameron Green Smashes Records, Becomes Costliest Overseas Buy at ₹25.20 Crore

The IPL 2026 auction roared into life in Abu Dhabi as Cameron Green triggered a fierce bidding war, eventually landing at Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for ₹25.20 crore, making him the most expensive overseas player in IPL history and the third-costliest buy overall.

The contest began with Rajasthan Royals and KKR trading aggressive bids before Rajasthan bowed out around the ₹13 crore mark. Chennai Super Kings then entered the fray, pushing the price past ₹20 crore. When CSK bid ₹25 crore, KKR responded instantly with ₹25.20 crore, sealing the deal in dramatic fashion.

Green’s price reflects his growing stature as a premium T20 all-rounder. In 21 T20Is, he has scored 521 runs at an average of 32.56 and a strike rate of 160.30, alongside 12 wickets. Across 63 T20s, he has amassed 1,334 runs at an average of 33.35 and a strike rate above 151, with a century and seven fifties.

In the IPL, Green has been even more impactful. Playing for Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru across the 2023 and 2024 seasons, he scored 707 runs in 29 matches at an average of 41.58 and a strike rate north of 153, while also picking up 16 wickets. He missed last season’s auction due to injury, only adding to the intrigue around his return.

Elsewhere, South Africa’s David Miller was picked up by Delhi Capitals at his base price of ₹2 crore. One of T20 cricket’s most reliable finishers, Miller brings vast experience: 2,612 T20I runs, 11,497 runs in T20s, and over 3,000 IPL runs across franchises including PBKS, RR, GT and LSG.

However, the auction also delivered surprises. Jake Fraser-McGurk, Devon Conway, Prithvi Shaw, and Sarfaraz Khan all went unsold despite strong domestic or international credentials. Shaw and Sarfaraz, in particular, entered the auction on the back of prolific domestic seasons, underlining how ruthless and form-agnostic IPL auction dynamics can be.