The gavel has fallen. The IPL 2026 mini-auction in Abu Dhabi concluded on Tuesday with a historic shift in player valuations. And then the numbers followed. Australia’s Cameron Green became the most expensive overseas player in IPL history, while an unprecedented “gold rush” for Indian talent saw uncapped players commanding veteran-level salaries.
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The 10 franchises spent a combined ₹215.45 crore to fill 77 slots, signaling a massive strategic pivot toward youthful, high-impact domestic cores and elite all-rounders.
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The Headlines: Records Tumbled
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) were the primary architects of the evening’s biggest surprises.
The Crown Jewel: Cameron Green was signed by KKR for a staggering ₹25.20 crore, surpassing Mitchell Starc’s ₹24.75 crore record. Note: Under new rules, Green’s take-home pay is capped at ₹18 crore, with the surplus going to the BCCI welfare fund.
The Uncapped Revolution: CSK broke the bank for two domestic stars—Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma—buying both for ₹14.20 crore each. This shattered the previous uncapped record of ₹10 crore (Avesh Khan).
The Sri Lankan Surge: Matheesha Pathirana became the most expensive Sri Lankan in IPL history, returning to KKR for ₹18 crore.
Top 5 Most Expensive Buys (IPL 2026 Auction)
| Player | Team | Price (₹ Crore) | Category |
| Cameron Green | KKR | 25.20 | Overseas (All-rounder) |
| Matheesha Pathirana | KKR | 18.00 | Overseas (Bowler) |
| Prashant Veer | CSK | 14.20 | Indian (Uncapped) |
| Kartik Sharma | CSK | 14.20 | Indian (Uncapped) |
| Liam Livingstone | SRH | 13.00 | Overseas (All-rounder) |
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Key Team Strategies & Trades
While the auction dominated the night, high-profile trades ahead of the event reshaped the power balance:
Chennai Super Kings: Beyond their ₹28.4 crore splurge on uncapped talent, they successfully traded in Sanju Samson from Rajasthan Royals.
Mumbai Indians: Operating with the smallest remaining purse, they played a surgical game, securing veteran Quinton de Kock for just ₹1 crore.
Delhi Capitals: Bolstered their bowling by retaining Mitchell Starc and adding J&K pacer Auqib Nabi Dar for a massive ₹8.40 crore.
Rajasthan Royals: Acquired Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran via trades, significantly strengthening their all-rounder department.
The “BCCI Welfare Fund” Rule
This auction saw the first implementation of the overseas salary cap. While bids can go as high as franchises desire, the player’s actual salary is restricted to the highest retention price or a set limit (currently ₹18 crore for mini-auctions). This ensures that while teams can fight for talent, the inflation of overseas salaries remains somewhat tethered to the domestic pay scale….
Also Read | CLAT 2026 result released on consortiumofnlus.ac.in, here’s how to download scorecard quickly
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