IPL 2026 Auction : Australian all-rounder Cameron Green made headlines at the IPL 2026 auction held on December 16, 2025 in Abu Dhabi. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) made him the most expensive foreign player in IPL history by buying him for Rs 25.20 crore. This bid went to KKR after a tough fight between Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings (CSK). But the surprising thing is that despite such a big bid, Green will get only Rs 18 crore in the IPL 2026 season. Why after all?
Rajasthan Royals refused to bid at a bid of around Rs 13 crore, while Chennai Super Kings joined in, pushing the price well above Rs 20 crore. CSK made a bid of Rs 25 crore, after which KKR made a bid of Rs 25.20 crore to include Cameron Green in their team.
Cameron Green has scored 521 runs in 21 T20 Internationals at an average of 32.56 and a strike rate of 160.30, which includes six half-centuries. He has also taken 12 wickets at an average of 23.35. Green has played in the IPL for Mumbai Indians (2023) and Royal Challengers Bangalore (2024). In 29 matches, he scored 707 runs at an average of 41.58 and a strike rate of 153+. He also has 16 wickets in his name in IPL. Last season he could not play due to injury.
Even though the bid for Cameron Green was Rs 25.2 crore, Green can earn only Rs 18 crore in the IPL 2026 season. Actually, IPL had implemented a new rule last year, which is called Maximum Fee Rule. The purpose of this rule was to prevent foreign players from earning more money in mini auctions, because earlier many overseas players used to leave mega auctions and enter mini auctions, where due to high demand, prices would skyrocket.
According to this rule, the salary of a foreign player in the mini auction cannot be more than the highest retention slab of the previous mega auction. If the bid goes above Rs 18 crore, the player does not get the additional amount. This money goes to BCCI’s Player Welfare Fund, which is used for the welfare of players, medical support and help for retired cricketers. The franchise has to pay the entire bid amount from its own purse, which means KKR’s purse will be reduced by Rs 25.20 crore, but Green’s salary will be only Rs 18 crore.
This rule was brought so that no foreign player can earn more than the retention slab of Indian players. This cap is not imposed on Indian players. This rule applies only to foreign players, due to which Indian talent gets priority. This rule is an attempt to make IPL more balanced, but it is also criticized by foreign fans. Green’s bid became the most expensive purchase of a foreign player in the IPL.
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