IPL Auction 2026: Cameron Green, Pathirana...check the costliest players of the season

IPL Auction 2026: As the bidding game began in Abu Dhabi's arena, franchisees bid big for their preferred players. The world's richest cricket league garnered all the limelight this afternoon as team owners gathered to bid for their key picks.

With the countdown for the much-coveted tournament already underway, the excitement has reached its peak. The December 2025 mini auction witnessed some intense bidding wars, as franchises splurged to acquire top-tier talent and stack up best against the best.

Also read: Catch IPL Auction 2026 Live Action Here

Cameron Green moves to KKR for Rs 25.2 cr

Australian player Cameron Green was sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 25.20 crore after a fierce bidding war among KKR, CSK and RR at the IPL Auction, underlining just how valuable the all-rounder remains in T20 cricket.

Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals took to the bidding battle. Mumbai Indians, which has just Rs 2.75 crore in the purse had to soon leave the bidding fight while KKR and Rajasthan Royals continued the fight.

Matheesha Pathirana: KKR's second expensive buy

Sri Lanka fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana was sold to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for ₹18 crore following a fierce bidding war among Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the IPL Auction, underlining the premium demand for elite death-overs specialists in T20 cricket.

Matheesha Pathirana’s release by the Super Kings came as a major surprise in the IPL 2026 retention announcements. The 22-year-old had entered the auction with a base price of ₹2 crore.

Prashant Veer:The IPL 2026 auction delivered one of its fiercest bidding wars when 20-year-old Uttar Pradesh all-rounder Prashant Veer was eventually bagged by Chennai Super Kings for a massive ₹14.2 crore.

An uncapped left-arm spinner who can also contribute valuable runs down the order, Prashant entered the auction with a modest base price of ₹30 lakh. However, his recent exploits ensured heavy interest from several franchises, triggering an aggressive contest before CSK finally sealed the deal.

Karthik Sharma

Uncapped Indian wicketkeeper-batter Kartik Sharma was sold to five-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for a whopping price of Rs 14.2 crore during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 auction here on Tuesday.

Sharma became the joint-most expensive uncapped Indian player in IPL history, alongside Prashant Veer, who was also sold to the CSK.Auqib Nabi

Jammu & Kashmir pacer Auqib Nabi emerged as one of the biggest talking points of the IPL 2026 auction after being snapped up by Delhi Capitals for a hefty ₹8.40 crore. The uncapped Indian fast bowler has impressed with his consistency across domestic competitions, prompting the Capitals to act swiftly to secure him.

Nabi has enjoyed an outstanding season so far. During the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he claimed 15 wickets in seven matches while maintaining an economy rate of 7.41. He underlined his growing reputation in his latest outing against Madhya Pradesh, producing a decisive all-round effort — scoring 32 off 21 balls to help set up a competitive total before returning figures of three wickets to clinch the match for Jammu & Kashmir.Also read: IPL Auction 2026 Key Updates

Ravi Bishnoi to join Rajasthan Royals for Rs 7.4 cr

Rajasthan Royals bet big on Ravi Bishnoi, securing the in-demand bowler for Rs 7.4 crore. His skill set continues to command strong demand.

Entering the IPL 2026 auction with a base price of ₹2 crore, the wrist-spinner was picked up after RR's fierce bidding war with Sunrisers Hyderabad, who had bid ₹7 crore.

Rajasthan Royals’ aggressive bid underlines their belief in Bishnoi’s potential and his ability to make an impact in the middle overs.

Also Read: IPL 2026 Auction Live News: Record buys, surprise steals change squads; Check full list of who went where

RCB picks Venkatesh Iyer for a whopping Rs 7 cr

Indian all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer found a new home at the IPL 2026 mini-auction after Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) secured him for ₹7 crore following an intense bidding war. Iyer's price escalated from ₹2 crore, with LSG, GT, KKR, and RCB all vying for him.

He had entered the auction pool with a base price of ₹2 crore -- the highest slab for Indian players -- a figure that underlined his standing in the domestic circuit even after a muted previous campaign.

Rishabh Pant continues to be the most expensive player in IPL history, securing a whopping Rs 27 crore deal with Lucknow Super Giants last year.

IPL Auction 2026: Most expensive buys

Player	Team	Price (In Rs crore)
Cameron Green	Kolkata Knight Riders	25.20
Matheesha Pathirana	Kolkata Knight Riders	18.00
Prashant Veer	Chennai Super Kings	14.20
Kartik Sharma	Chennai Super Kings	14.20
Aaqib Dar	Delhi Capitals	8.40
Ravi Bishnoi	Rajasthan Royals	7.20
Venkatesh Iyer	Royal Challengers Bengaluru	7.00