The IPL 2026 mini auction at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi delivered cricket’s most expensive overseas player deal and multiple shocking outcomes across four intense hours of bidding on December 16, 2025.
Cameron Green shattered all records with a ₹25.20 crore contract to Kolkata Knight Riders, while Chennai Super Kings stunned everyone by spending ₹28.40 crore on two uncapped teenagers. Meanwhile, established stars like Steve Smith and Devon Conway suffered the embarrassment of going unsold.
Auction totals: 77 players sold for ₹215.45 crore, with KKR dominating through 13 successful purchases – the most by any franchise.
Top Auction Highlights That Defined the Day
Record-breaking deals and shocking rejections created the auction’s biggest talking points.
Cameron Green Makes IPL History
The bidding war: Green’s price escalated from ₹2 crore base to ₹25.20 crore as KKR outbid multiple franchises for the Australian all-rounder’s signature.
Why teams fought for him: Green’s versatility allows him to open batting, bowl death overs at 140+ kmph, and field anywhere – solving multiple team balance issues simultaneously.
Historic significance: Green became the most expensive overseas player in IPL history, surpassing Mitchell Starc’s previous record of ₹24.75 crore.
CSK’s Uncapped Gamble Shocks Cricket World
The surprise investments: Chennai Super Kings paid identical ₹14.20 crore deals to Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma – two 19-year-old players with minimal professional experience.
Record-breaking prices: Both teenagers became the most expensive uncapped players in IPL history, with their combined ₹28.40 crore cost exceeding many international stars.
CSK’s strategy: The franchise prioritized potential over proven performance, betting on their development system to transform unknown talent into match-winners.
Complete Top 20 Most Expensive Buys
Intense bidding wars drove prices significantly above base valuations across multiple categories.
| Rank | Player | Team | Base Price | Final Price | Value Jump |
| 1 | Cameron Green | KKR | ₹2 Cr | ₹25.20 Cr | 1,260% |
| 2 | Matheesha Pathirana | KKR | ₹2 Cr | ₹18.00 Cr | 900% |
| 3 | Prashant Veer | CSK | ₹30 Lakh | ₹14.20 Cr | 4,733% |
| 4 | Kartik Sharma | CSK | ₹30 Lakh | ₹14.20 Cr | 4,733% |
| 5 | Liam Livingstone | SRH | ₹2 Cr | ₹13.00 Cr | 650% |
| 6 | Mustafizur Rahman | KKR | ₹2 Cr | ₹9.20 Cr | 460% |
| 7 | Josh Inglis | LSG | ₹2 Cr | ₹8.60 Cr | 430% |
| 8 | Auqib Dar | DC | ₹30 Lakh | ₹8.40 Cr | 2,800% |
| 9 | Ravi Bishnoi | RR | ₹2 Cr | ₹7.20 Cr | 360% |
| 10 | Jason Holder | GT | ₹2 Cr | ₹7.00 Cr | 350% |
| 11 | Venkatesh Iyer | RCB | ₹2 Cr | ₹7.00 Cr | 350% |
| 12 | Rahul Chahar | CSK | ₹1 Cr | ₹5.20 Cr | 520% |
| 13 | Mangesh Yadav | RCB | ₹30 Lakh | ₹5.20 Cr | 1,733% |
| 14 | Ben Dwarshuis | PBKS | ₹1 Cr | ₹4.40 Cr | 440% |
| 15 | Pathum Nissanka | DC | ₹75 Lakh | ₹4.00 Cr | 533% |
| 16 | Tejasvi Singh | KKR | ₹30 Lakh | ₹3.00 Cr | 1,000% |
| 17 | Cooper Connolly | PBKS | ₹2 Cr | ₹3.00 Cr | 50% |
| 18 | Jack Edwards | SRH | ₹50 Lakh | ₹3.00 Cr | 600% |
| 19 | Mukul Choudhary | LSG | ₹30 Lakh | ₹2.60 Cr | 867% |
| 20 | Adam Milne | RR | ₹2 Cr | ₹2.40 Cr | 20% |
KKR’s Auction Domination Strategy
Kolkata Knight Riders executed the most aggressive auction strategy with 13 successful purchases.
Major investments:
- Cameron Green (₹25.20 Cr): Record-breaking all-rounder acquisition
- Matheesha Pathirana (₹18.00 Cr): Death bowling specialist
- Mustafizur Rahman (₹9.20 Cr): Left-arm pace variety
Squad building approach:
- Rachin Ravindra (₹2.00 Cr): New Zealand batting talent
- Finn Allen (₹2.00 Cr): Explosive opening option
- Tim Seifert (₹1.50 Cr): Wicket-keeping backup
- Akash Deep (₹1.00 Cr): Indian pace development
Budget utilization: KKR spent most aggressively among all franchises, building depth across all positions.
Team-wise Complete Purchase Summary
Each franchise completed their squad requirements with varying approaches and budget allocations.
Chennai Super Kings (9 Players)
- Star gambles: Kartik Sharma (₹14.20 Cr), Prashant Veer (₹14.20 Cr)
- Experience: Rahul Chahar (₹5.20 Cr), Matt Henry (₹2.00 Cr), Akeal Hosein (₹2.00 Cr)
- Support: Matthew Short (₹1.50 Cr), Zak Foulkes (₹75 Lakh), Sarfaraz Khan (₹75 Lakh), Aman Khan (₹40 Lakh)
Delhi Capitals (8 Players)
- Major investment: Auqib Dar (₹8.40 Cr)
- International talent: Pathum Nissanka (₹4.00 Cr), Kyle Jamieson (₹2.00 Cr), Lungi Ngidi (₹2.00 Cr), Ben Duckett (₹2.00 Cr), David Miller (₹2.00 Cr)
- Indian options: Prithvi Shaw (₹75 Lakh), Sahil Parakh (₹30 Lakh)
Gujarat Titans (5 Players)
- Leadership: Jason Holder (₹7.00 Cr)
- Support cast: Tom Banton (₹2.00 Cr), Ashok Sharma (₹90 Lakh), Luke Wood (₹75 Lakh), Prithviraj Yarra (₹30 Lakh)
Lucknow Super Giants (6 Players)
- Key signing: Josh Inglis (₹8.60 Cr)
- Balanced approach: Mukul Choudhary (₹2.60 Cr), Akshat Raghuwanshi (₹2.20 Cr), Anrich Nortje (₹2.00 Cr), Wanindu Hasaranga (₹2.00 Cr), Naman Tiwari (₹1.00 Cr)
Mumbai Indians (5 Players)
- Budget constraints: Quinton De Kock (₹1.00 Cr) led minimal purchases
- Value signings: Mayank Rawat (₹30 Lakh), Atharva Ankolekar (₹30 Lakh), Mohammad Izhar (₹30 Lakh), Danish Malewar (₹30 Lakh)
Punjab Kings (4 Players – Fewest Purchases)
- Selective approach: Ben Dwarshuis (₹4.40 Cr), Cooper Connolly (₹3.00 Cr)
- Basic additions: Vishal Nishad (₹30 Lakh), Pravin Dubey (₹30 Lakh)
Rajasthan Royals (9 Players)
- Star acquisition: Ravi Bishnoi (₹7.20 Cr)
- International pace: Adam Milne (₹2.40 Cr)
- Depth building: Ravi Singh (₹95 Lakh), Sushant Mishra (₹90 Lakh), Kuldeep Sen (₹75 Lakh), plus multiple ₹30 Lakh prospects
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (8 Players)
- Key additions: Venkatesh Iyer (₹7.00 Cr), Mangesh Yadav (₹5.20 Cr)
- International option: Jacob Duffy (₹2.00 Cr)
- Supporting cast: Jordan Cox (₹75 Lakh), plus four ₹30 Lakh prospects
Sunrisers Hyderabad (10 Players)
- Major signing: Liam Livingstone (₹13.00 Cr)
- Squad depth: Jack Edwards (₹3.00 Cr), Salil Arora (₹1.50 Cr), Shivam Mavi (₹75 Lakh)
- Volume approach: Six ₹30 Lakh prospects for future development
Biggest Auction Surprises and Disappointments
Several unexpected outcomes created major discussion points throughout the bidding process.
Shocking Unsold Players
International stars who failed to attract bids:
- Steve Smith: Former Australian captain went unsold despite ₹2 crore base price
- Devon Conway: New Zealand opener with strong IPL record attracted no interest
- Jonny Bairstow: English wicket-keeper batsman surprisingly remained unsold
- Spencer Johnson: Australian left-arm pacer failed to find buyers
Unexpected Price Explosions
Uncapped players who exceeded all expectations:
- Prashant Veer & Kartik Sharma: ₹30 lakh base became ₹14.20 crore final prices
- Auqib Dar: Unknown domestic player commanded ₹8.40 crore investment
- Mangesh Yadav: Young pacer jumped from ₹30 lakh to ₹5.20 crore
Auction Trends and Market Dynamics
Clear patterns emerged from bidding behaviors and final purchase decisions.
Youth Over Experience
Franchises consistently preferred potential over proven performance, with multiple uncapped players receiving massive investments while established internationals went unsold.
All-Rounder Premium
Multi-skilled players like Green, Livingstone, and Holder commanded top prices for their versatility across batting, bowling, and fielding departments.
Death Bowling Specialist Value
Specialized skills like Pathirana’s death bowling expertise attracted premium valuations as teams prioritized specific match-situation requirements.
Auction Statistics and Final Numbers
The mini auction concluded with complete squad formations across all 10 franchises.
- Total financial impact: ₹215.45 crore spent across 77 successful purchases
- Players acquired: 48 Indian players, 29 overseas players
- Average price: ₹2.80 crore per player Highest team investment: KKR with 13 players
- Lowest team investment: PBKS with 4 players
- Unsold players: 292 out of 369 shortlisted candidates
FAQs
Who was the most expensive player in the IPL 2026 mini auction?
Cameron Green at ₹25.20 crore to KKR, becoming the most expensive overseas player in IPL history.
Which team bought the most players?
Kolkata Knight Riders purchased 13 players, the highest among all franchises.
What was unusual about CSK’s strategy?
CSK spent ₹28.40 crore on two uncapped teenagers (Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma), showing unprecedented faith in unproven talent.
Why did Steve Smith go unsold?
Despite his reputation, Smith’s ₹2 crore base price and age concerns led teams to prefer younger alternatives.
How much money was spent in total?
₹215.45 crore across 77 player purchases, with 292 players remaining unsold.
Which uncapped player got the highest price?
Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma both received ₹14.20 crore from CSK, setting records for uncapped players.
Can unsold players still join teams?
Yes, unsold players can be signed as injury replacements during the tournament if teams need them.
When does IPL 2026 season start?
The tournament begins in March 2026 with all squads now complete.
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