Australian cricket star Cameron Green has secured a landmark deal in the Indian Premier League, becoming the most expensive overseas player in the tournament’s history. The Kolkata Knight Riders secured the all-rounder’s services for the 2026 season with a winning bid of £2.06 million (approximately A$4.17 million).
The acquisition followed a competitive bidding war between Kolkata and the Chennai Super Kings during the league’s annual player auction. The final price places Green as the third-highest purchase in IPL history overall, behind only Indian stars Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer.
The 26-year-old received news of the lucrative contract while in camp with the Australian national team, preparing for the ongoing Ashes series against England. Green missed the previous IPL season due to a back procedure but brings a strong track record from his 29 matches in the competition, boasting a batting average of 41.6 and 16 wickets taken.
His signing surpasses the previous record for an overseas player, set last year by his compatriot Mitchell Starc. Green was widely anticipated to be the top earner among the four Australian Test squad members entered into this year’s auction, given his powerful batting and bowling utility.
Several other Australian players, including Steve Smith and Josh Inglis, were among the 19 from the country shortlisted for the auction. However, with only 31 overseas slots available across the ten franchises, many high-profile names are expected to go unsold. A core group of Australians, including Pat Cummins and Travis Head, were retained by their teams ahead of the auction and did not enter the bidding process.