IPL 2026 Mini Auction
The excitement is palpable in Abu Dhabi as the IPL 2026 mini-auction takes centre stage at the Etihad Arena. This one-day event on Tuesday, December 16, is truly a pivotal moment ahead of the 19th season of the league, which is scheduled to kick off on March 31, 2026. With just 77 coveted spots available among the 369 registered players, the hammer strokes are making or breaking careers.
Cameron Green Shatters Auction Records
The early hours of the auction brought a monumental bidding war, resulting in a new historical record. The Australian all-rounder Cameron Green became the most expensive foreign player in IPL history, crossing the ₹25 crore mark. He was finally secured by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for a jaw-dropping ₹25.20 crore. Green’s value is immense, given his past performance of over 700 runs and 16 wickets in the league. This purchase means he has eclipsed the massive ₹24.75 crore that KKR had previously spent on Mitchell Starc back in 2024.
KKR’s shopping spree didn’t end there, as they also heavily invested in pace, snapping up Sri Lankan quick Matheesha Pathirana for a significant ₹18 crore.
The Big Indian Paydays
While international stars grabbed the headlines, several key Indian cricketers also attracted big bids. All-rounder Venkatesh Iyer saw a competitive battle for his services before ultimately joining Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for ₹7 crore.
The uncapped category witnessed some fierce bidding, showcasing the franchises’ belief in young domestic talent. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) demonstrated this by spending ₹14.20 crore each on two highly-rated uncapped players, Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma, making them jointly the highest-paid uncapped cricketers this year. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals made sure to retain their quality spin option, spending ₹7.20 crore on Ravi Bishnoi.
The Teams’ War Chests: Who Has Money Left?
Going into the auction, the available funds determined which teams could be aggressive. Kolkata Knight Riders led the charge with a massive war chest of ₹64.3 crore, allowing them to make those record-breaking purchases. Not far behind was Chennai Super Kings with ₹43.4 crore, positioning them well to bid for several elite players.
Other significant figures in the running included Sunrisers Hyderabad with ₹25.5 crore, Lucknow Super Giants with ₹22.95 crore, and the Delhi Capitals with ₹21.8 crore.
Towards the bottom of the financial table, teams like Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings entered the auction with very limited resources, holding just ₹2.75 crore and ₹11.5 crore respectively, suggesting their squad needs were largely settled before the day began.
The mini-auction is setting the stage for what promises to be an electrifying IPL season in 2026.
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