ipl 2026 auction A fierce bidding war has erupted at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, with franchises spending over ₹237 crore in 77 slots for 369 players. Kolkata Knight Riders Led the spending with its huge purse of ₹64.3 crore, while securing the two top buys early Chennai Super Kings Stunned by high investment in untapped talents. Unknown domestic stars such as surprise packages worth crores of rupees have overtaken some established names, indicating a shift towards youth and potential.
Cameron Green breaks records with multi-million deal in IPL 2026 auction
The main story so far is that KKR have performed tremendously cameron greenThe Australian beat many franchises to buy the all-rounder for ₹25.20 crore and made him the most expensive overseas purchase in IPL history. The move signals a tactical shift, with KKR clearly seeing Green as a three-dimensional cornerstone who can bat at the top of the order, bowl fast in the middle and finish games, replacing years of patchwork in their balance with a premium package.
Another big blow is CSK’s decision to move aggressively after highlighting Indian talent, paying ₹14.20 crore to each top-order batsman. Karthik Sharma and all-rounder Prashant VeerBoth of them signed on the basis of only Rs 30 lakh. For a franchise long associated with experience and consistency, betting nearly ₹30 crore on two relatively unknown domestic players underlines how highly their scouting group rates this new generation.
Among the most emotional anecdotes is the rise of Jammu and Kashmir’s all-rounder Auqib NabiWho turned a base of ₹30 lakh into a jackpot of ₹8.40 crore Delhi Capitals A fierce four-way bidding war followed. His selection reflects the premium placed on Indian seam-bowling all-rounders and continues the trend of the IPL auction highlighting stories from the hinterlands of India’s cricket. Gujarat Titans‘Swoop late’ jason holder at ₹7 crore, and Rajasthan Royals‘An outlay of ₹7.20 crore was calculated on the out-of-favour leg spinner Ravi BishnoiFurther highlighting how teams are still willing to pay top dollar for specific skill-sets, even if the form curves are uneven.
Top 10 most expensive buys of IPL 2026 auction
| Post | player | Team | Type | Base(CR) | Sold (Crore) | main analysis |
| 1 | cameron green | KKR | BAT/AR | 2.00 | 25.20 | Australian all-rounder’s record eclipsed by overseas tag Mitchell Starcfigure of Rs 24.75 crore; Scored 707 IPL runs at 153.6 SR with 16 wickets in 29 matches, combining middle-order strength (highest 100) and seam utility (Econ 8.61); KKR has its eyes on him andre russell The heir to the depth of death-over hitting and pace, although the new rules cap his earnings at Rs 18 crore with a surplus for welfare. |
| 2 | Mathisha Pathirana | KKR | bowl | 2.00 | 18.00 | Sri Lankan Slinga’s raw pace hits maximum overseas boundary; 19 IPL wickets in 11 matches at 17.10 underline the lethality of the yorker (best 4/28); KKR paired him with Green for a fearsome attack that snatched away LSG’s grip to strengthen the death bowling after the Starc era. |
| 3 | Karthik Sharma | Chennai Super Kings | bat | 0.30 | 14.20 | 19-year-old Rajasthan keeper-batsman Syed Mushtaq Ali’s blast (133 runs, 160+ SR) created an uncapped record; 334 T20 runs at 162.92 SR signal, firepower is over; CSK has bet on pace in the middle order and gloves backup to suit Dhoni. |
| 4 | Prashant Veer | Chennai Super Kings | AR | 0.30 | 14.20 | The 20-year-old spin all-rounder from Uttar Pradesh’s domestic performances (780 FC runs at 45.88, 30 wickets; 420 runs at 135 SR in T20) sent CSK into a frenzy; The highest uncapped batsman ever, he provides left-arm spin variety and lower-order hitting for Ruturaj to rebuild. |
| 5 | liam livingstone | SRH | AR | 2.00 | 13.00 | The English powerhouse’s IPL legacy (1,051 runs in 49 games, 182 SR peak) includes a 437-run 2022 blitz; 13 wickets add off-spin utility; SRH have targeted top-order aggression to complement the head-turned-Abhishek openers. |
| 6 | Mustafizur Rahman | KKR | bowl | 2.00 | 9.20 | Bangladesh cutter’s proven IPL nous (47 wickets at 8.68 economy) returns to the champions; The control of the middle overs is suited to the Eden spin track; KKR formed a seam trio with Pathirana-Green. |
| 7 | josh inglis | lsg | bat | 2.00 | 8.60 | Australian keeper’s IPL cameo (42 off 73 max) showcases 162 SR; International T20I solidity adds stability; lsg wants nicholas puran Option for explosive start. |
| 8 | Auqib Nabi | DC | AR | 0.30 | 8.40 | Emerging Indian all-rounder’s unexpected rise highlights pace-spin combo; DC strengthened the middle order with raw ability amid the Axar-led core. |
| 9 | Ravi Bishnoi | RR | bowl | 2.00 | 7.20 | 7.20 crore revival of legspin after mock; Mystery diversity graces Jaipur; RR spin tightens web Yuzvendra Chahal. |
| 10 | jason holder | GT | AR | 2.00 | 7.00 | The veteran West Indies player’s experience (in the Global T20) helps Gill’s youth; Death bowling and lower order cameos are perfect for balancing the Titans. |
