Srinagar~ Ahead of the IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi, a mock auction conducted by official broadcaster Star Sports offered a glimpse into potential bidding trends, with Australian all-rounder Cameron Green emerging as the biggest draw after being sold to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for a staggering ₹30.50 crore.
The mock auction, held to gauge player demand and franchise strategies ahead of the real auction scheduled in Abu Dhabi on December 16, saw all 10 IPL teams represented by former cricketers and experts. Franchises enter the mini-auction with a combined purse of around ₹237 crore and up to 77 slots to fill.
KKR, represented by Robin Uthappa and armed with the biggest purse of ₹64.30 crore, were the most aggressive bidders. Apart from Green, they also picked up Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana for ₹13 crore and England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow for ₹2.5 crore. Jamie Smith was snapped up by Gujarat Titans for ₹2 crore.
Green’s price breached the previous auction high of ₹27 crore paid for Rishabh Pant, underlining the premium placed on pace-bowling all-rounders. The bidding war for the Australian involved both KKR and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), with KKR eventually winning out.
England all-rounder Liam Livingstone was the second-highest buy, going to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for ₹19 crore, with Irfan Pathan representing the franchise. Rajasthan Royals, represented by Aakash Chopra, secured Indian leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi for ₹11.50 crore.
CSK, represented by Suresh Raina, made several notable purchases, signing leg-spinner Rahul Chahar for ₹10 crore, South African fast bowler Anrich Nortje for ₹7.5 crore and Indian batter Sarfaraz Khan for ₹7 crore. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) picked up Venkatesh Iyer for ₹6 crore, a sharp drop from the ₹23.75 crore KKR had paid for him in the previous auction.
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) bought South African pacer Gerald Coetzee for ₹8 crore, while Delhi Capitals (DC) secured Prithvi Shaw for ₹2.75 crore after he went unsold in last season’s mega auction. Lungi Ngidi and Chetan Sakariya were picked up by DC and RCB respectively for ₹6.5 crore each.
The mock auction also saw disappointments, with former CSK opener Devon Conway going unsold. Despite being a simulation, the exercise generated significant interest, reflecting how franchises may approach the real auction with targeted strategies and aggressive bidding for marquee players.
Top five buys in the IPL 2026 mock auction:
- Cameron Green – ₹30.50 crore (KKR)
- Liam Livingstone – ₹19 crore (LSG)
- Matheesha Pathirana – ₹13 crore (KKR)
- Ravi Bishnoi – ₹11.50 crore (RR)
- Rahul Chahar – ₹10 crore (CSK)
While mock auctions do not always mirror actual outcomes, the results have set the tone for a high-stakes IPL 2026 mini-auction, with big names, large purses and intense competition expected on auction day.
