IPL 2026 Auction: 10 Shocking Records That Changed IPL History

The IPL 2026 auction was held in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, where 10 teams purchased a total of 77 players. Franchises spent a total of ₹215.15 crore in this mini-IPL 2026 auction. The auction lasted for approximately eight hours and saw high bids for both young players and experienced international cricketers.

The most talked-about players in the IPL 2026 auction were Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), as these two teams had the largest purses and made the biggest purchases of the day.

KKR breaks record for Cameron Green

The highest bid in the IPL 2026 auction was for Australian all-rounder Cameron Green. KKR purchased him for ₹25.20 crore, making him the most expensive foreign player in IPL history.

Not only this, KKR also made the second-highest bid of the day, adding Sri Lankan fast bowler Mathisha Pathirana to their team for ₹18 crore. This is the highest IPL bid for any Sri Lankan player to date.

CSK's New Strategy: Reliance on Youth

Chennai Super Kings adopted a completely different strategy this time. The team spent ₹14.20 crore each on two uncapped Indian players—Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma.

With this, these two players became the most expensive uncapped Indian players in IPL history. Notably, neither has yet made their IPL debut.

Indian Players Return to IPL

This IPL 2026 Auction also saw the return of some Indian international players to the IPL. Sarfaraz Khan, Prithvi Shaw, and Shivam Mavi were not bought by any team in the previous season, but franchises gave them another chance in the IPL 2026 auction.

Franchises Focus on Young Players

• The IPL 2026 auction clearly shows that teams are now prioritizing age and domestic experience.
• 32 players purchased were under the age of 25.
• Of these, 29 players were Indians.
• A large portion of the total ₹87.40 crore spent was spent on uncapped Indian players.
• Most players aged 30 and above were sold at their base price.

Cameron Green Again Becomes Auction Star

Cameron Green previously made headlines in the IPL 2023 auction when he was purchased by the Mumbai Indians for ₹17.5 crore. He became the IPL's most expensive foreign player, the third-most expensive player, and one of the few players to be sold for more than ₹2 million twice.

However, under the new rules, Green will only receive ₹18 crore, with the remaining amount going to the Players' Welfare Fund.

KKR and MI have completely different auction approaches

KKR had a purse of ₹64.3 crore in the IPL 2026 auction and spent a total of ₹63.85 crore, representing approximately 30% of the total expenditure. While Mumbai Indians (MI) had a purse of just ₹2.75 crore and spent only ₹2.2 crore, the lowest expenditure by any team in IPL history.

Historic IPL 2026 Auction for CSK

CSK has typically avoided making big bets, but this time the team made history. For the first time, CSK spent more than ₹14 crore on two uncapped Indian players. Prashant Veer and Kartik Sharma are both under 20 years old, and no player had previously been sold for more than ₹10 crore before the age of 23.

Punjab Kings' Quiet Strategy

Punjab Kings appeared quite quiet in the IPL 2026 auction. The team had to fill only four slots and bid for only six players. Their most expensive purchase was Ben Dwarshuis (₹4.40 crore). Overall, PBKS showed the least activity.

The IPL 2026 auction made it clear that franchises are now:

Investing in youth and relying on domestic cricket, prioritizing long-term players. KKR and CSK were the most aggressive teams in the auction, while MI and PBKS made prudent moves with limited purses.