Australian cricket star Cameron Green has shattered records, becoming the most expensive overseas player ever purchased in the history of the Indian Premier League.
A Record-Breaking Bidding War
The 26-year-old all-rounder was the centre of an intense auction battle on Tuesday, 16 December 2025. The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) ultimately secured his signature for the staggering sum of 252 million Indian rupees, equivalent to approximately $2.77 million or £2.2 million. This historic bid came after a fierce contest with the Chennai Super Kings.
This monumental fee places Green as the third most expensive player in IPL history overall. He sits behind only two Indian internationals: Rishabh Pant (270 million rupees) and Shreyas Iyer (267.5 million rupees). The deal was finalised despite an initial administrative hiccup that saw Green registered incorrectly as a specialist batter, an error the player attributed to his management.
Green's Journey Back to the IPL
Cameron Green, who has previously played for Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, missed the entire 2025 IPL season. He was sidelined while recovering from back surgery. His triumphant return to the auction pool culminated in this landmark contract for the 2026 season, which is scheduled to run from late March to late May.
The news broke as Green is actively engaged in the Ashes series against England. He has been named in Australia's playing XI for the third Test in Adelaide, commencing on Wednesday, 17 December 2025. Australia currently lead the series 2-0 and can clinch the Ashes with a victory this week.
A Proven International Pedigree
Green's value is underpinned by a significant international career. Since his Test debut against India in December 2020, he has represented Australia in all three formats. He was a key member of the squad that secured the World Test Championship in 2023 and later lifted the one-day World Cup trophy the same year.
Although Australia reached the World Test Championship final again this year, they were defeated by South Africa at Lord's. Green endured a difficult patch batting out of position at number three but has since returned to the middle order, where he is now featuring in his second Ashes campaign.
For the three-time champion Kolkata Knight Riders, this record investment signals a major intent to reclaim the IPL title. Securing a player of Green's calibre, a genuine match-winner with both bat and ball, could prove to be the decisive factor in their 2026 campaign.
