The 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction saw a record-breaking bid for Australian all-rounder Cameron Green, who became the most expensive overseas player in the league's history. Green was purchased by the Kolkata Knight Riders for a staggering 25.2 crore (£2.1 million), surpassing the previous record set by Australian pace bowler Mitchell Starc in 2024. This auction also witnessed a bidding war between the Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, and Chennai Super Kings, with the final bid surpassing the 2024 record by a significant margin.
At just 26 years old, Green has already made a name for himself in the IPL, playing for the Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. His impressive performance includes scoring 707 runs at a strike rate above 150 and taking 16 wickets in 29 games. Despite being listed as a capped batter, Green expressed his availability as an all-rounder, attributing the listing error to a mistake by his management.
However, Green's career has been marred by back injuries, which forced him to miss the 2025 IPL season after surgery. He made a successful return as a specialist batter in June but is currently being utilized as an all-rounder by the Australian national team in the ongoing Ashes series against England.
The IPL auction continues, with 18 English players on the longlist. Among them, opener Ben Duckett will make his IPL debut after being picked up by the Delhi Capitals for 2 crore (£167,000). However, other notable players like Liam Livingstone, Gus Atkinson, Jonny Bairstow, and Jamie Smith went unsold, leaving fans and analysts alike to ponder their future in the league.
