Australian all-rounder Cameron Green, who is being targeted heavily by both Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings is expected to attract one of the highest bids in the IPL 2026 auction. However, according to a new rule, no overseas player can be bought for more than ₹18 crore.
In the 2023 IPL auction, KKR bought Mitchell Starc for a record ₹24.75 crore, while Pat Cummins was purchased by Sunrisers Hyderabad for ₹20.5 crore. At that time, Sam Curran’s ₹18.5 crore deal created relatively less buzz.
Cameron Green was bought by Mumbai Indians for ₹17.5 crore in 2023. The following year, he was traded to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for the same amount.
Across the 2023 and 2024 IPL seasons, Green played 29 matches, scoring 707 runs at a strike rate of 153.70.
For the 2026 auction, he has listed himself with the highest base price of ₹2 crore.
New “Maximum Fee” Rule
Under the new rule, the maximum auction price for any overseas player cannot exceed ₹18 crore. If a franchise bids more than ₹18 crore, the extra amount will be deposited into the BCCI’s Player Welfare Fund, rather than going to the player.
This rule applies particularly to mini-auctions, so that foreign players cannot exploit supply-demand imbalances to earn excessively high amounts.
An IPL source clarified:
“If the highest bid in a mega auction is ₹20 crore, then the maximum limit for the next mini-auction will be ₹18 crore.”
“If the highest bid in a mega auction is ₹16 crore, then the mini-auction limit will also be ₹16 crore.”
Indian Players Not Affected
This rule does not apply to Indian players.
Indian players will receive the full auction amount, and the sum will be fully deducted from the franchise’s purse.
Auction Details
A total of 77 slots will be filled this year, including 31 overseas slots. The list of 16 capped Indian players is still being processed based on franchise preferences.
The auction will be held on 16 December, where the combination of Cameron Green’s high demand and the new salary cap rule is expected to be one of the biggest talking points for IPL fans.