The Indian Premier League's 2026 mini-auction in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday witnessed a staggering display of financial firepower, with franchises spending a colossal Rs 215.45 crore to acquire 77 players from a pool of 369. The event was headlined by Kolkata Knight Riders' record-shattering purchase of Australian all-rounder Cameron Green and a strategic, high-stakes gamble by Chennai Super Kings on uncapped Indian talent.
Record-Breaking Bids and Marquee Buys
In a move that reset the auction benchmarks, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) splurged a historic Rs 25.20 crore to secure Australian all-rounder Cameron Green, prevailing over Chennai Super Kings in a fierce bidding war. This bid made Green the most expensive overseas player in IPL auction history, surpassing compatriot Mitchell Starc's Rs 24.75 crore from 2023. However, due to IPL rules, Green's season salary will be capped at Rs 18 crore, with the excess amount directed to the BCCI's player development fund.
KKR didn't stop there, also acquiring Sri Lankan pace sensation Matheesha Pathirana for a massive Rs 18 crore. The franchise rounded off its shopping with Tejasvi Dahiya (Rs 3 crore), Finn Allen (Rs 2 crore), Tim Seifert (Rs 1.50 crore), Akash Deep (Rs 1 crore), and Rahul Tripathi (Rs 75 lakh). KKR's managing director, Venky Mysore, expressed satisfaction with the buys, stating the team was "happy" with the price for Green despite nearing their spending limit.
The Uncapped Indian Gold Rush
The 2026 auction will be remembered as the day uncapped Indian players commanded superstar prices. In a dramatic departure from their usually conservative strategy, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) invested a staggering Rs 28.4 crore on two uncapped youngsters – all-rounder Prashant Veer and wicketkeeper-batter Kartik Sharma – paying Rs 14.2 crore each. Starting from a base price of just Rs 30 lakh, both became the highest-paid uncapped players in IPL auction history.
CSK's spending spree continued with Rahul Chahar (Rs 5.2 crore), Matt Henry (Rs 2 crore), Akeal Hosein (Rs 2 crore), and Matthew Short (Rs 1.5 crore). In a late twist, they also picked up Mumbai batter Sarfaraz Khan for his base price of Rs 75 lakh in the accelerated round, after he went unsold initially.
Other franchises joined the hunt for domestic talent. Delhi Capitals made a significant investment in Jammu & Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi, buying him for Rs 8.40 crore. Royal Challengers Bangalore secured uncapped pacer Mangesh Yadav for Rs 5.2 crore, while Lucknow Super Giants invested in young Indians Mukul Choudhary (Rs 2.6 crore) and Akshat Raghuwanshi (Rs 2.2 crore).
Strategic Moves Across Franchises
Other teams made calculated purchases to bolster their squads. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), staying true to their power-hitting philosophy, bought England's Liam Livingstone for Rs 13 crore and added Salil Arora for Rs 1.5 crore.
Delhi Capitals (DC) brought back opener Prithvi Shaw for Rs 75 lakh after he went unsold initially and made savvy overseas acquisitions like David Miller (Rs 2 crore) and Pathum Nissanka (Rs 4 crore).
Rajasthan Royals (RR) strengthened their spin department by buying Ravi Bishnoi for Rs 7.2 crore after his release from LSG, pairing him with Ravindra Jadeja. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) finally secured the services of Venkatesh Iyer for Rs 7 crore, a significant drop from his previous price tag of Rs 23.75 crore.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) focused on wicketkeeping, buying Australia's Josh Inglis for Rs 8.6 crore. Gujarat Titans picked up experienced all-rounder Jason Holder for Rs 7 crore, while Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians, operating with more modest purses, made targeted buys like Ben Dwarshuis and the returning Quinton de Kock, respectively.
The auction concluded with a total of 77 players finding new homes, setting the stage for an intriguing IPL 2026 season where expensive imports and richly rewarded domestic rookies will be under immense pressure to justify their price tags.
