The opening day of the much-anticipated IPL 2026 mini-auction in New Delhi on Tuesday witnessed a spectacular display of financial firepower, with franchises breaking records to secure their top targets. The Kolkata Knight Riders emerged as the most aggressive spenders, making history with two colossal signings.
KKR's Record-Breaking Spree
Kolkata Knight Riders shattered the bank to acquire Australian all-rounder Cameron Green for a staggering Rs 25.20 crore, following an intense bidding war with Chennai Super Kings. This deal surpassed the previous record for an overseas player, held by Mitchell Starc at Rs 24.75 crore. Not stopping there, KKR further invested Rs 18 crore to bring back Sri Lankan speedster Matheesha Pathirana, making him the costliest Sri Lankan player in IPL auction history.
KKR's managing director, Venky Mysore, expressed his delight at securing Green. "We are very happy. Something that we were focussed on and hoping for," Mysore stated. He highlighted Green's potential impact alongside the team's "power coach" Andre Russell. Regarding the financial rules, where only Rs 18 crore of Green's fee counts towards the salary cap, Mysore added, "Our standpoint is there is no concern, in any case it's an outflow for the franchise."
Chennai Super Kings' Uncapped Gambit
While KKR chased established stars, the Chennai Super Kings executed a bold strategy by investing heavily in untested Indian talent. They secured 20-year-old Uttar Pradesh left-arm spinner Prashant Veer and 19-year-old Rajasthan wicketkeeper-batter Kartik Sharma for a massive Rs 14.20 crore each. Having entered the auction at a base price of just Rs 30 lakh, the duo now hold the record for the highest-paid uncapped players in IPL history. CSK's total spend on these two players alone was Rs 28.4 crore.
Another uncapped Indian who struck gold was Jammu and Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi Dar. He was snapped up by the Delhi Capitals for Rs 8.40 crore, a huge leap from his Rs 30 lakh base price.
Notable Deals and Surprising Moves
The auction saw several other significant transactions. Sunrisers Hyderabad spent Rs 13 crore for England's explosive batter Liam Livingstone. Lucknow Super Giants secured Australian wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis for Rs 8.60 crore. KKR also added Bangladesh's Mustafizur Rahman for Rs 9.20 crore.
There were dramatic turns for some Indian internationals. Prithvi Shaw and Sarfaraz Khan initially found no buyers but were eventually picked up in the accelerated round for Rs 75 lakh each. Sarfaraz joined CSK, while Shaw was signed by Delhi Capitals. Sarfaraz's blistering 22-ball 73 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on the eve of the auction likely influenced his late purchase.
Other key overseas signings included:
- Kyle Jamieson (New Zealand) to Delhi Capitals for Rs 2 crore.
- Lungi Ngidi (South Africa) to Delhi Capitals for his base price of Rs 2 crore.
- Quinton de Kock (South Africa) rejoined Mumbai Indians for Rs 1 crore.
- Tom Banton (New Zealand) to Gujarat Titans for Rs 2 crore.
However, players like New Zealand's Devon Conway and Spencer Johnson remained unsold.
Looking Ahead
The first day of the mini-auction, featuring 359 players (246 Indian and 113 overseas), set a frenetic pace for team building. With franchises competing to fill up to 77 slots, the strategic splurges on both proven internationals and promising domestic talent have dramatically reshaped team compositions for the upcoming IPL 2026 season. The record-breaking sums, particularly for uncapped players, signal a bold new trend in franchise investment strategy.
