IPL Auction 2026: Cameron Green breaks records to become the most expensive player ever

The IPL Auction 2026 ended with loud cheers, big money, and a lot of surprise moments. Fans across the world stayed glued as teams fought hard to build strong squads. The biggest headline came when Australian all-rounder Cameron Green became the most expensive overseas player in IPL history. The auction took place on December 16, 2025, at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. Several teams spent heavily, while young Indian players also grabbed attention with huge price tags. By the end of the day, money, drama, and excitement filled the room.

Cameron Green becomes the most expensive player at IPL Auction 2026

Cameron Green was the star of the IPL Auction 2026. The Australian all-rounder was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for a massive ₹25.20 crore. This made him the most expensive overseas player ever in IPL history. The bidding moved fast, with multiple teams showing interest before KKR sealed the deal.

Teams wanted Green because he can bat, bowl, and field well. His calm nature and big-match experience also worked in his favor. According to official IPL auction data and reports from ESPNcricinfo and BCCI sources, this price broke all earlier overseas player records.

Cameron Green’s duck in Adelaide today took his home Test batting average below 30 – he’s yet to score a Test hundred in Australia 👀 pic.twitter.com/K1mehz4e8d

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) December 17, 2025

Kolkata Knight Riders believe Green can change games with both bat and ball. Fans are now eager to see how he performs in the IPL 2026 season wearing the KKR jersey.

Big buys, Indian talent shine, and confusion incident in Abu Dhabi

The auction also saw other big signings. Sri Lankan fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana was picked by Kolkata Knight Riders for ₹18 crore. Sunrisers Hyderabad signed England all-rounder Liam Livingstone for ₹13 crore after a long bidding battle. Royal Challengers Bengaluru bought Indian all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer for ₹7 crore. Delhi Capitals picked David Miller at his base price of ₹2 crore.

Indian uncapped players also made headlines. Chennai Super Kings bought Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma for ₹14.20 crore each, making them the costliest uncapped Indian players this year. Delhi Capitals spent ₹8.40 crore on fast bowler Auqib Nabi Dar from Jammu and Kashmir, who started at just ₹30 lakh.

A brief incident also caught attention during the auction. Two players named Shashank Singh appeared in the auction list, which caused confusion. Punjab Kings tried to pull back their bid, but auction officials stepped in and cleared the situation quickly, according to official IPL auction records.

In total, 77 players were sold, and teams spent ₹215.45 crore. With squads now locked in, fans are already counting days for IPL 2026.