Just days before the IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi, Australian all-rounder Cameron Green sparked massive buzz with a clever and unexpected strategy. In the IPL 2026 auction on December 16, where all-rounders are once again the hottest property, Cameron Green has surprised everyone by listing himself not as an all-rounder but solely as a batsman.
Seam-bowling all-rounders usually dominate the bidding wars at the auction table as they bring rare balance to teams, especially in India, where spinners often rule. But with auction rules and the bidding order giving him a huge advantage in the early sets, the Australian star decided to make a smart move that could push him towards a record-breaking deal.
Cameron Green surprises everyone by entering IPL 2026 auction as a batsman
When BCCI revealed the shortlist of 350 players to be sold in the auction, fans and teams saw something surprising next to Green’s name. Instead of joining the all-rounder category, he placed himself in the first group of batsmen, which surprised everyone.
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This raised many questions, such as whether the Australian star is injured or planning to play only as a batsman next season, but it was part of their IPL mini-auction strategy. In the IPL auction, the batsmen are called first, followed by the all-rounders and then the bowlers, and this is where Green played his game.
Had Green remained in the category of all-rounders with a starting price of Rs 2 crore, only teams with large balance sheets could have entered the opening bid. This would have reduced his chances of getting a huge salary.
Why has Cameron Green not listed himself in the all-rounders category?
By entering the auction as a batsman, Cameron Green ensured that every team got a level playing field from the start, which could lead to a fierce bidding war between the teams. However, even though Green may be listed as a batsman for the auction, he can still continue as a complete all-rounder in IPL 2026.
The 25-year-old has already enjoyed two strong seasons – first with Mumbai Indians in 2023 and then with Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2024. He has scored 707 runs in 29 matches at a blistering strike rate of 153.69, including one century and two half-centuries, and has also taken 16 wickets at an economy of 9.07 with the ball.
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However, Green missed last season due to a back injury and is now eyeing a big comeback. His name now headlines Set 1 of the auction, which includes big hitters like New Zealand’s Devon Conway, Australia’s Jake Fraser-McGurk, South Africa’s David Miller and India’s Sarfaraz Khan and Prithvi Shaw.
Cameron Green sets headlines 1 as KKR enters IPL auction with massive purse
While the overseas players in this group start at a base price of Rs 2 crore, Sarfaraz and Shaw enter with a tag of Rs 75 lakh each after going unsold in last year’s mega auction. Additionally, the competition is also intense this year, as out of the 350 shortlisted players, 240 are Indians and 110 are foreigners, but only 77 slots, including only 31, are available for foreign players to fill in the auction.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are entering the auction with the biggest purse of Rs 64.30 crore and 13 open positions, while Chennai Super Kings are in second place with Rs 43.4 crore and nine slots to fill.
