IPL 2026 Auction Highlights: KKR Steal the Show with Mega Bids; CSK Splurge on Uncapped Stars.

RECORDS TUMBLE IN ABU DHABI: KKR’s Mega Buys, CSK’s Youth Revolution Rock IPL Auction.

The IPL 2026 Mini-Auction, held in Abu Dhabi on December 16, 2025, turned into a record-breaking spectacle marked by bold spending and a clear shift in team strategies, as Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) dominated the headlines.

KKR, armed with the biggest purse, went on an aggressive buying spree, snapping up Australian all-rounder Cameron Green for a staggering Rs.25.20 crore to make him the most expensive overseas player in IPL history, while also winning a fierce bidding war to secure Sri Lanka’s Matheesha Pathirana for Rs.18 crore, the highest ever for a Sri Lankan, and pulling off a major bargain by signing Rachin Ravindra for just Rs.2 crore.

In contrast, CSK shocked the cricketing world by abandoning their veteran-heavy approach and placing massive bets on youth, spending nearly 60% of their RS.41 crore outlay on two uncapped Indian teenagers—20-year-old left-arm spin all-rounder Prashant Veer and 19-year-old wicketkeeper-batter Kartik Sharma—both bought for Rs.14.20 crore each, making them joint most expensive uncapped players in IPL history.

 The auction also saw notable moves from other franchises, including Delhi Capitals splurging Rs.8.40 crore on uncapped J&K pacer Auqib Nabi Dar, Royal Challengers Bengaluru picking up Venkatesh Iyer for Rs.7 crore, Rajasthan Royals signing Ravi Bishnoi for Rs.7.20 crore, and Mumbai Indians making a late-value buy by snapping up Quinton de Kock for Rs.1 crore, underlining how the 2026 auction reshaped squads with a mix of record buys, youthful gambles and smart bargain.