Cameron Green becomes the most expensive overseas player in IPL history
The Abu Dhabi auction hall became the venue for a battle between two IPL titans – Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings. The spotlight is on 26-year-old Australian all-rounder Cameron Green. After several minutes of fierce fighting, the gavel comes down, establishing a historic verdict: Greene is going to KKR for a staggering INR 25.20 crore (approximately AUD 4.2 million). A new record was born: Cameron Green becomes the most expensive overseas player in IPL history.
Cameron Green becomes the most expensive overseas player in IPL history: numbers and nuances
This contract allowed Green to overtake his compatriot Mitchell Starc, for whom the same Knight Riders paid 24.75 crore in 2024. Interestingly, Green now ranks third overall, behind only Indian stars Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer.
But there is an important nuance here that is worth mentioning separately. Although Cameron Green becomes the most expensive overseas player in IPL history, due to the BCCI’s new rules for mini-auctions, he won’t receive the full amount. His salary is capped at INR 18 crore. The difference (INR 7.2) will go not into his pocket, but into the Cricket Board of India’s special Athletes’ Welfare Fund. It turns out that the record is symbolic, but the financial reality is slightly different.
Cameron Green becomes the most expensive overseas player in IPL history: context and expectations
Green himself received the news while preparing for the Test match against England. In his address to the Kolkata fans, he did not hide his emotions: “I’m incredibly excited. To be with the Knight Riders and experience the atmosphere of Eden Garden. I hope this year will be a great one for us. Ami KKR!” Sincerity is worth a lot at such moments.
Why were the stakes so high? Green’s IPL stats speak for themselves: 29 matches, 707 runs, an average of 41.58 with a strike rate of 153.69, one sensational century and 16 wickets taken.
Yes, his skills as a bowler may be questionable, but his real value lies in his unique combination of power at bat and utility with the ball. Furthermore, after back surgery that forced him to miss the entire 2025 season, Green is back in action and is once again playing as a full-time all-rounder. “He adds a lot to our team, especially considering our power player Andre Russell. It’s great to have a young all-rounder with IPL experience in the team,” KKR CEO Venky Mysore commented on the deal.
While Cameron Green becomes the most expensive overseas player in IPL history, former national team captain Steven Smith hasn’t even been put up for auction. No franchise showed interest in him. Defending title-winning Royal Challengers Bengaluru have remained loyal to the injured Josh Hazlewood. A total of 16 Australian players will take part in the upcoming season, not counting the coaching staff with Ricky Ponting and Justin Langer.
There were some oddities, too. At the auction, Green was listed as a batsman, not an all-rounder. Later, he smiled and explained that it was a mistake on the part of his management. However, for KKR, this oversight turned out to be only an advantage.
Besides the main sensation, the auction also scattered other foreign players among teams. English opener Ben Duckett will make his IPL debut with Delhi Capitals, while his compatriot Liam Livingstone has joined Sunrisers Hyderabad for a large sum. The second-largest contract of the day went not to a newcomer, but to renowned Sri Lankan fast bowler Mathisha Pathirana, who will also strengthen KKR.
The Green story is a powerful tale of the value of versatility in modern cricket, the fierce auction battle and how rules shape financial outcomes. It’s a record with a caveat, a triumph with a nuance. All that remains is to wait until March to see if this high-profile transfer lives up to the hype under the frenzied pressure of the Eden Garden fans.
