ipl auction live has commenced with an explosive start to the 2026 IPL Mini Auction. The intensity and high stakes defining the event were immediately evident, particularly in the bidding war for the coveted Australian all-rounder, Cameron Green.
As anticipated, the initial set saw Green emerge as the highest-paid player, being bagged by the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for a massive sum of INR 25.20 Crore. However, despite the staggering bid, the player himself will not receive the full amount.
Under the regulations of a critical, but lesser-known, rule introduced by the IPL Governing Council, Green will only receive INR 18 Crore of that massive bid. The difference—an enormous INR 7.20 Crore—will be redirected to the BCCI’s player welfare fund. This significant financial rule is the biggest talking point as fans follow the ipl auction live proceedings.
What is the New IPL Rule Capping Overseas Player Salary?
The rule causing this dramatic financial twist is designed to promote fiscal responsibility among franchises and maintain consistency in international player earnings.
- The Cap: Foreign players can receive a maximum salary of INR 18 Crore from the mini auction, irrespective of how high the winning bid goes.
- The Destination: Any amount bid above the INR 18 Crore ceiling is directed to the BCCI’s player welfare fund.
- The Catch for Franchises: Teams must still deduct the full bid value (in Green’s case, ₹25.20 Crore) from their auction purse. KKR, despite only paying Green ₹18 Crore, still loses the full ₹25.20 Crore from their ₹64.3 crore purse.
This regulation was initially implemented ahead of the IPL 2025 Mega Auction and has been extended to the mini auctions, signaling the league’s commitment to long-term financial planning and curbing excessive spending.
Cameron Green: The Biggest Victim of the Cap
The Financial Breakdown for Green:
- Winning Bid (KKR): INR 25.20 Crore
- Maximum Payable Salary (Cap): INR 18.00 Crore
- Amount Diverted to BCCI Fund: INR 7.20 Crore
This highlights how the rule directly impacts the highest-earning foreign players, ensuring their pay packages do not disproportionately inflate compared to the retention figures of the last mega auction.
Indian Players Exempt from the Cap
It is crucial to note that this salary restriction applies only to foreign players.
- Indian cricketers are completely exempt from this rule. They will receive the full amount of their winning bids, even if that amount surpasses the INR 18 Crore mark.
This differential treatment ensures a balance, encouraging franchises to invest heavily in domestic talent while maintaining a check on the spending for international stars whose availability is sometimes limited by their national commitments.
Why Was This Rule Introduced?
The new policy addresses long-standing concerns within the league:
- Curbing Excessive Spending: Mini auctions have historically led to highly inflated bids for specific niche players, threatening the financial sustainability of the franchises in the long run.
- Promoting Financial Discipline: By setting a clear limit, the Governing Council encourages teams to think strategically rather than purely emotionally during intense bidding wars.
- Consistency: The INR 18 Crore cap aligns with the highest retention slab offered to international players during the last mega auction, ensuring a degree of consistency across player earnings irrespective of the auction type.
As the ipl auction live updates continue to pour in from Abu Dhabi, fans and analysts alike are keenly watching how franchises like KKR and CSK, despite having large budgets (KKR with ₹64.3 crore and CSK with ₹43.6 crore), navigate this financial constraint. The successful implementation of the rule means that even if a franchise desperately bids ₹30 Crore for a player, they only gain the player’s services at a real salary cost of ₹18 Crore, although the full amount hits their budget.
The outcome of the ipl auction live proceedings will prove whether this rule helps balance fairness and financial health without dampening the excitement of the bidding process.
