Record breaking ₹25.2 crore deal with Australian all-rounder Cameron Green Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Made headlines, but the final payment tells a different story.
BCCI’s new foreign player cap reshapes the economics of IPL 2026 auction
Due to BCCI’s newly introduced ‘maximum fee’ rule for foreign players, cameron green Despite being the most expensive purchase in the IPL 2026 auction, the deal will fetch only ₹18 crore.
The revised regulation, aimed at curbing uncontrolled spending in mini-auctions, marks a significant change in the way overseas players are compensated, even as franchises continue to spend aggressively to secure elite talent.
What is BCCI’s new maximum fee rule for foreign players?
Salary range linked to retention slab and previous mega-auction record
Under the updated IPL structure, the BCCI has capped the earnings of individual overseas cricketers from a mini-auction. The rule states that a foreign player’s salary will be capped at the lower of two figures:
- Highest player retention slab, currently ₹18 crore, or
- Highest price paid in the last mega auction
Although Rishabh Pant fetched ₹27 crore in the last mega-auction, the retention slab is lower, meaning ₹18 crore becomes the effective limit for foreign players in the 2026 mini-auction.
As a result, no matter how high the bids go, no foreign player can take home more than ₹18 crore under this rule.
Why did KKR still lose ₹25.2 crore from its purse?
While Green’s individual earnings are limited to ₹18 crore, KKR will still have to deduct the entire ₹25.2 crore from its auction purse. This figure reflects the price the franchise bid to secure his services and counts solely against their salary cap.
The remaining ₹7.2 crore, which Green did not receive, was not returned to the franchise. Instead, it is transferred to the BCCI’s Players Welfare Fund, as mandated under the new rules.
This mechanism ensures that teams feel the financial impact of aggressive bidding, while preventing disproportionate payments to individual foreign players.
Why did BCCI introduce foreign player cap?
Mini-auction to control inflation
The new limit was introduced to address mini-auction inflation, where a limited pool of high-profile foreign players often started bidding wars far above their market value. With franchises competing for players with immediate impact, the supply-demand imbalance had allowed some foreign stars to be paid massively.
By fixing the maximum salary for foreign players, the BCCI aims to:
- Encourage more balanced spending
- Protect Franchise Purse Management
- Reduce last-minute financial distortions in squad formation
BCCI’s new rule has no effect on Indian players
Domestic stars can still earn the full bid amount
Importantly, the new rule applies only to foreign players. If an Indian cricketer is bought for more than ₹18 crore in the mini-auction, they are entitled to receive the full amount of the bid, without any salary restrictions.
This difference reinforces the league’s focus on rewarding domestic talent, while still allowing franchises to pursue international stars – albeit under strict financial controls.
Also read: IPL 2026 Auction – Live Updates