Mumbai: Three hundred and fifty players were shortlisted on Tuesday for the 2026 IPL player auction. One amongst them, Cameron Green, is widely believed to be a front-runner to bag the most expensive tag.
The tall Australian allrounder bats in the top order, can hit a long ball, bowls seam up as a middle overs enforcer and also with the new ball when required. While he may not be a fully accomplished T20 force, Green’s credentials are extremely inviting based on the player pool which will have 96 overseas players in the running with 31 vacant overseas slots to be filled.
That said, player auctions can spring in surprises with many other factors at play. Plenty of teams are in need of wrist spinners and Ravi Bishnoi is among the best known bowlers released for bidding. Top order batters will also invite interest and for this category, Quinton de Kock, with his dual skill sets will be trying his luck. Fast bowlers will again be in demand and the CSK-released Matheesa Pathirana could find many takers
In mini auctions, the highest priced player; not necessarily picked only on cricketing merit, but for being perfectly in line with auction economics is hotly debated. And there are plenty of reasons why Green, listed in the first lot, starts among the front runners to stoke a bidding war.
There is a catch though. The overseas price cap rule will limit his on paper salary, even if he invites maximum bidding. Complicated?
Acting on complaints that overseas players misused the demand-supply imbalance to their advantage in a mini auction, a new rule will be in force whereby either the highest auction salary from the last mega auction ( ₹ 27 crore) or the highest retention price ( ₹ 18 crore), whichever is lower, will hold true for an overseas player. That would mean Green cannot take home more than ₹ 18 crore. But bidding will continue beyond his salary point, until the last paddle is raised, with the price differential going to BCCI coffers.
The 2026 auction player pool – 77 vacant slots and a collective salary purse of ₹ 237.55 crore – is very similar to the last mini auction. In 2024, 72 players were sold with ₹ 230.45 crore being spent. Then, it was Mitch Starc ( ₹24.75 crore) and Pat Cummins ( ₹20.50 crore) who won the biggest honours. It could be Green this time, even though his winning bid value, if it exceeds ₹18 crore, will not count.
On the face of it, Green should face stiff competition. But count a few franchises out; those who have looked to retain heavily and others, who have covered most bases using the trading window effectively. Consequently, they have little money left to go in heavy bidding wars.
Like every year, there are other teams who want a revamp and will look at the auction to rebuild their squad. It’s no secret that Green will be on Kolkata Knight Riders’ wish list. KKR have opened up ₹41.75 crore by releasing Venkatesh Iyer and Andre Russell and will go to the auction with the biggest purse of ₹64.3 crore. Few other franchises have the spending strength of KKR. The Australian would hope Chennai Super Kings ( ₹43.4 crore) show interest.
To Green’s good fortune, there are other teams who have just enough to compete. Delhi Capitals’ ( ₹21.8 crore) are on the lookout for top order batters and can go for Green, having filled only 3 overseas player slots in their squad yet.
Green’s early mention in the auction though, could be double edged. Teams keen to save up to plug more pressing gaps in their squad may not press too hard. Could that result in Green at a steal price for KKR? Again, ceding a clear competitive advantage to one franchise, is something other tables will be mindful of. The drama is only a week away.