IPL Mini Auction 2026: KKR break silence on historic bid on Cameron Green

Kolkata Knight Riders CEO Venky Mysore explained the franchise’s thinking behind securing Australia all-rounder Cameron Green for a record Rs 25.20 crore at the IPL 2026 mini-auction in Abu Dhabi, stressing that the decision was strategic rather than emotional.

Mysore revealed that Green remained within KKR’s planned financial bracket for a long phase of the auction, allowing the franchise to stay calm despite a fierce bidding war. KKR and Chennai Super Kings were the main contenders as the price escalated rapidly after Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians opened the bidding, with Chennai pushing it beyond Rs 16 crore before Kolkata made the decisive move.

Speaking to the media during a session break, Mysore said Green was a priority target but insisted KKR were prepared to walk away if the bid threatened their overall auction strategy. The acquisition brought KKR’s remaining purse down to Rs 39.1 crore, slightly behind CSK’s Rs 43.40 crore at that point.

“Very happy. This was something we were focused on and hoping for. We were always concerned about how far the price might go. The fact is, we were very keen but not emotionally attached. If it had started affecting the rest of our auction plans, we would have let it go. Fortunately, it stayed within the range we had in mind,” Mysore said. “He adds a lot to our team, and with Andre Russell as our new power coach, it’s great to have a young all-rounder like Green.”

Also Read: IPL Mini Auction 2026: Cameron Green becomes IPL’s costliest overseas player, goes to KKR for 25.20 crore

Green will turn out for his third IPL franchise, having previously represented Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. In the 2024 season with RCB, he scored 255 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate of 143.25 and claimed 10 wickets in 13 matches with an economy of 8.61.

Mysore highlighted Green’s IPL experience as a major plus. “We know what he brings with both bat and ball. It’s hard to say how far we would’ve gone because it depends on the rest of the plans, but we were getting close,” he added.