Abu Dhabi, Dec 16— Australian all-rounder Cameron Green may have commanded a winning bid of ₹25.2 crore at the IPL 2026 auction, but he will take home only ₹18 crore after a league-imposed salary cap came into effect this season.
Green was snapped up by Kolkata Knight Riders after an intense bidding war involving Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings, making him the third-most expensive player in IPL history and the most expensive overseas signing at an auction.
However, under a “maximum fee” rule introduced by the IPL last year, overseas players cannot be paid more than ₹18 crore — the highest retention slab ahead of the 2025 mega auction. Any amount bid above that threshold is diverted for player welfare, according to league regulations.
“The maximum fee for overseas players at a mini-auction will not exceed the highest retention price,” ESPNcricinfo quoted the IPL as saying. “Any excess amount will be allocated by the BCCI for player welfare.”
Green’s signing marked a dramatic opening to the auction, with CSK bidding up to ₹25 crore before KKR clinched the deal at ₹25.2 crore.
The 25-year-old all-rounder has scored 521 runs in 21 T20 internationals at an average of 32.56 and a strike rate of 160.3, along with 12 wickets at an average of 23.35. In overall T20s, he has amassed 1,334 runs in 63 matches and taken 28 wickets.
