Cameron Green’s signing by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) was one of the highlights of the IPL 2026 mini-auction held in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday (December 16). The Australian all-rounder, who couldn’t feature in the last IPL season due to back injury, entered into the auction ring with a base price of INR 2 Crore.

Green was expected to attract several IPL franchises and that’s exactly what happened, with KKR outbidding MI, RR, and CSK to secure his services for INR 25.20 Crore. This deal made him the costliest overseas player ever in any franchise competition across the world.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin said CSK showed a lack of intent, allowing KKR to snap up generational talent Cameron Green.

“We conducted a mock auction, and that’s when it became clear there was virtually no chance of him going over Rs 30 crores. In fact, had KKR been a little more patient—like some other franchises, Punjab for instance, who took their time while bidding - things might have played out differently,” Ashwin stated.

“If that had happened, CSK would likely have let Cameron Green go much earlier. I had a sense that CSK were bidding more out of necessity than intent; it didn’t feel like they were fully committed to acquiring him.

“Personally, I felt Cameron Green would have been a terrific addition to CSK, and in that sense, they may have missed a small trick. That said, this isn’t about the price point. Cameron Green is a generational talent, and for KKR, he is an outstanding acquisition,” he added.

Cameron Green has represented Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the IPL, underlining his value as a seam-bowling all-rounder. In 29 matches across two teams, he has scored 707 runs at an average of 41.58 and a strike rate of 153.69, including a century, while also claiming 16 wickets.