Why did Mumbai Indians bid for Cameron Green despite just 2.75 crore Purse in IPL 2026 Auction?

Australian all-rounder Cameron Green became the star of the IPL 2026 mini-auction, held on December 16, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, when Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) secured him for a record-breaking ₹25.20 crore,

making him the most expensive overseas player in IPL history.

This surpassed the previous mark set by his compatriot Mitchell Starc, who was sold for ₹24.75 crore at KKR in the IPL 2024 auction.

The bidding for Green, who entered with a base price of ₹2 crore, started intensely and quickly turned into a high-stakes war. Rajasthan Royals pushed early, but withdrew around ₹13 crore.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) then jumped in aggressively, driving the price higher in a prolonged battle with KKR. Ultimately, KKR's persistence won out, reflecting their need for a premium overseas all-rounder to replace the retired Andre Russell.

Despite having just 2.75 crore in auction kitty, Mumbai Indians were the team that started the bidding for Green. When asked about the reason behind that, MI owner Akash Ambani revealed the heartfelt reason.

"A little bit of homage to him. His first IPL team was Mumbai Indians. We knew he was out of our purse this auction, but just to tell him that we value you, he'll still be amongst our thoughts, and whenever Cam Green is in the auction our paddle will go up for him," he said.

Despite the massive bid, Green will receive only ₹18 crore in actual salary due to the IPL's overseas player cap in mini-auctions-the excess goes to the BCCI's player welfare fund. KKR CEO Venky Mysore expressed delight, highlighting Green's proven IPL experience with bat and ball, and his fit alongside their new "power-hitting coach" Andre Russell.