Cameron Green ₹25.2 cr to ₹18 cr: What is the maximum fee rule for foreign players at IPL 2026 auction?

Australia all-rounder Cameron Green fetched a record bid of INR 25.20 crore in the early stages of the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) Auction, and while that will be his price tag from the perspective of the franchises' purse, his salary will be set at INR 18 crore instead. The difference arises because of the rule that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) implemented ahead of the 2025 mega auction to maintain a level playing field.

Cameron Green became the most expensive overseas acquisition in IPL Auction history, after surpassing the record held by fellow Australian, Mitchell Starc, during the 2024 Auction.

With the salary cap fixed at INR 18 crore for overseas players, the surplus bid amount that is fetched will return to the BCCI's player welfare fund. Mini-Auctions in particular have witnessed exorbitant bids given limited supply and limited slots, coupled with heavy purses at times.

“Any overseas player’s auction fee at a small auction will be the lower of the highest retention price of Rs. 18 crore or the highest auction price at the Big Auction,” the document states. It further clarifies that while the auction will continue until the player is sold and the full bid will be deducted from the franchise’s purse, any incremental amount above Rs. 18 crore will be deposited with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and utilised for players’ welfare," IPL's regulations read (via Sportstar).

Cameron Green was not available for the franchises during the previous auction as he was recovering from a major injury during that period.

KKR survived a bidding war from CSK and RR at the IPL 2026 Auction to acquire Cameron Green's services

KKR, with the biggest purse coming into the auction, were heavy favorites to land the all-rounder to fill a crucial spot in their potential playing XI. MI, on the other end of the spectrum in terms of budget, ironically opened the bidding, before KKR and RR took things forward.

CSK, with the second biggest purse, also came into the proceedings soon after, but bowed out of the race after the bid crossed the INR 25 crore mark.

Edited by Gokul Nair