Will IPL see 1st Rs 30 cr buy? But foreign players can fetch Rs 18 cr max

The players’ auction for the 19th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026) begins on Tuesday amid widespread speculation that the league could witness its first-ever Rs 30-crore buy. However, even if bidding crosses that mark, overseas players will not be able to take home more than Rs 18 crore due to the IPL’s maximum-fee rule.

 

Australia all-rounder Cameron Green, listed in the first set of capped batters, is expected to be at the centre of a bidding war. Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the two franchises with the largest remaining purses, are widely tipped to compete aggressively for his services.

 

Big bids likely, but payout capped

 

While a Rs 30-crore bid has not been ruled out, what is clear is that no foreign player can be paid more than Rs 18 crore at the mini auction. Under the IPL’s maximum-fee rule, an overseas player’s auction fee is capped at the lower of the highest retention slab and the highest price fetched at the previous mega auction.

 

In this cycle, the retention ceiling stands at Rs 18 crore, while the highest price at the last mega auction was Rs 27 crore, paid by Lucknow Super Giants for Rishabh Pant. As a result, the cap for overseas players at the IPL 2026 mini auction remains Rs 18 crore, irrespective of how high the bidding goes. 

 

What happens if bidding crosses the cap?

 

The auction will continue as normal until the player is sold, and the final bid amount will be deducted from the franchise’s purse. However, any amount above the capped fee will not be paid to the overseas player. Instead, the incremental sum will be deposited with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and utilised for player welfare.

 

The rule was introduced last year after franchises raised concerns that some overseas players were strategically registering only for mini auctions to exploit supply-demand imbalances.

 

Cameron Green in focus

 

Green is widely expected to be the biggest draw at the auction. Kolkata Knight Riders enter the auction with the largest purse of Rs 64.30 crore, while Chennai Super Kings have Rs 43.40 crore available, putting both franchises in a strong position to bid aggressively.

 

The Australian all-rounder has listed himself at the maximum base price of Rs 2 crore. In the 2023 auction, Green was bought by Mumbai Indians for Rs 17.5 crore and later traded to Royal Challengers Bengaluru for the same amount. Across the 2023 and 2024 IPL seasons, he has played 29 matches, scoring 707 runs at a strike rate of 153.70.

 

Mini auctions have previously produced record overseas buys. In 2023, Mitchell Starc was picked up by KKR for Rs 24.75 crore, shortly after Sunrisers Hyderabad signed Pat Cummins for Rs 20.5 crore. Those deals eclipsed the Rs 18.5 crore Punjab Kings paid for Sam Curran earlier that year. 

 

Indian players exempt from the rule

 

The maximum-fee cap applies only to overseas players. Indian players will receive the full amount they are bid for, with the entire sum deducted from the franchise’s purse.

 

Auction structure and key names

 

As this is a mini auction, there is no marquee set. Proceedings will begin with a group of capped batters, which includes Green, Devon Conway, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sarfaraz Khan, David Miller and Prithvi Shaw.

 

While other overseas names could attract strong interest, Green remains the standout attraction. His bid may well test the Rs 25-crore mark, but his actual earnings will stop at Rs 18 crore, underlining how IPL rules could prevent the league’s first Rs 30-crore payday from reaching an overseas player.