Source The New Indian express
ABU DHABI: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 mini-auction exploded with high-stakes bidding on Tuesday, with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) securing Australian all-rounder Cameron Green for a staggering ₹25.20 crore, making him the most expensive overseas player in the history of the tournament.
The day also saw a massive investment by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in emerging Indian talent, as the franchise shattered the record for uncapped players by purchasing all-rounder Prashant Veer and wicketkeeper-batter Kartik Sharma for an identical, eye-watering sum of ₹14.20 crore each.
Green Shatters Overseas Player Record
The bidding for the 26-year-old Green, who previously played for Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, was intense and swift. KKR, armed with the biggest purse, locked horns in a fierce battle with Chennai Super Kings, eventually prevailing to secure the services of the potent fast-bowling all-rounder.
“Green is more than a marquee pick; he’s a three-dimensional cricketer who can change the tempo of a match with bat, ball, or in the field,” a KKR representative noted, justifying the record-breaking bid.
Green’s price tag of ₹25.20 crore surpassed the previous record for an overseas player, signaling KKR’s strong intent to rebuild a championship-winning squad.
CSK Bets Big on India’s Youth
While KKR claimed the biggest overseas star, five-time champions CSK made an equally stunning statement by investing heavily in domestic prospects. Prashant Veer, a 20-year-old left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder from Uttar Pradesh, and Kartik Sharma, a promising wicketkeeper-batter from Rajasthan, both fetched ₹14.20 crore after marathon bidding wars.
The dual purchases highlight CSK’s strategy of nurturing high-impact uncapped Indian players, particularly in the wake of previous squad overhauls. The ₹14.20 crore bid for each player sets a new benchmark for uncapped talent in the IPL, overshadowing the modest base prices of ₹30 lakh each.
Prashant Veer is seen by many analysts as a potential long-term successor to the all-rounder role, having impressed in domestic T20s with both his aggressive batting and economical spin bowling. Meanwhile, Kartik Sharma is a versatile middle-order batter known for his finishing abilities and reliable glovework.
Other Key Buys
The auction also saw other significant movements, including KKR doubling down on their bowling attack by securing Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana for ₹18 crore.
The day concluded with franchises carefully balancing their squads, but the headline remains the staggering amounts splurged on key players, cementing the IPL’s position as the world’s premier T20 league.
