IPL 2026 auction saw several eye-catching bids, with Cameron Green emerging as the costliest player of the event.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) spent a massive ₹25.20 crore to secure the Australian all-rounder, making him the most expensive overseas player in IPL history. KKR further strengthened their squad by investing ₹18 crore in Sri Lankan fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana.
Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) made headlines by spending over ₹28 crore on two uncapped players, underlining their long-term planning.
Here’s a look at five most expensive buys of the IPL 2026 auction:
Cameron Green – ₹25.20 crore (KKR)
KKR won a fierce bidding war for Cameron Green, edging out CSK, whose final bid stood at ₹25 crore. With this deal, Green surpassed Mitchell Starc’s previous record to become the costliest foreign player in IPL history.
Matheesha Pathirana – ₹18 crore (KKR)
KKR used their strong purse to land Matheesha Pathirana for ₹18 crore. The Sri Lankan pacer became the most expensive player from Sri Lanka ever sold in an IPL auction.
Prashant Veer – ₹14.20 crore (CSK)
Uncapped all-rounder Prashant Veer impressed in the UP T20 League and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, scoring 192 runs at a strike rate of 160 and taking nine wickets in seven matches. CSK secured him for ₹14.20 crore despite his base price being just ₹30 lakh, beating Sunrisers Hyderabad in a bidding battle.
Kartik Sharma – ₹14.20 crore (CSK)
CSK also went big for Kartik Sharma, winning a close contest against Sunrisers Hyderabad. After SRH pushed the bid to ₹14 crore, CSK sealed the deal at ₹14.20 crore.
Aaqib Dar – ₹8.40 crore (DC)
Delhi Capitals acquired Aaqib Dar after an intense duel with Sunrisers Hyderabad. Starting from a base price of ₹30 lakh, the bids escalated rapidly before DC clinched him at ₹8.40 crore.
Ravi Bishnoi – ₹7.20 crore (RR)
Rajasthan Royals brought in leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi for ₹7.20 crore. Previously with Lucknow Super Giants, Bishnoi is now set to play for his third IPL franchise, having earlier represented Punjab Kings.
Venkatesh Iyer – ₹7 crore (RCB)
Royal Challengers Bengaluru signed Venkatesh Iyer for ₹7 crore. Although KKR showed interest, they backed out after ₹6.80 crore. Notably, Iyer had fetched ₹23.75 crore in the previous season, making this one of the auction’s biggest price drops.
