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Cricket PlayersContrasting fortunes for Cameron Green and Venkatesh Iyer in IPL 2026 auction: Look at the salary changes
The IPL 2026 mini-auction showcased stark contrasts, with Cameron Green's value soaring while Venkatesh Iyer faced a significant decline.
The IPL 2026 mini-auction in Abu Dhabi painted starkly different financial pictures of two all-rounders who entered with identical INR 2 crore base prices. Cameron Green’s value soared to unprecedented heights while Venkatesh Iyer witnessed one of the steepest drops in IPL auction history.
Cameron Green’s meteoric rise
The Australian all-rounder’s auction journey represents a significant upward trajectory. Cameron Green was initially acquired by the Mumbai Indians for INR 17.5 crore ahead of IPL 2023, where he delivered 452 runs at a strike rate of 160.28 and an average of 50.22. Despite being traded to the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2024, his market value remained strong.
His IPL 2026 price of INR 25.20 crore marks a substantial increase of INR 7.7 crore - a 44 per cent spike from his previous salary. This makes him the third most expensive player in IPL auction history and the costliest overseas acquisition. The bidding war between KKR, Rajasthan Royals, and Chennai Super Kings underscored the premium franchises placed on his dual capabilities as a batting all-rounder who can bowl pace.
However, due to IPL’s maximum-fee rule at mini-auctions, Green will receive only INR 18 crore, with the remaining 7.2 crore allocated to player welfare activities.
Also Read: Venkatesh Iyer suffers 16.7 crore pay cut, off to RCB after Green Cameron takes home 25.2 crore
Venkatesh Iyter’s dramatic downturn
In stark contrast, Venkatesh Iyer experienced a precipitous fall from grace. The left-handed all-rounder was bought back by KKR for a staggering INR 23.75 cr in the IPL 2025 mega auction, one of the highest prices ever paid for an Indian player.
His IPL 2026 price of INR 7 crore represents a catastrophic drop of INR 16.75 crore, a 70.5 per cent decrease in just one year. This decline stems directly from his underwhelming IPL 2025 performance, where he managed only 142 runs in 11 matches at an average of 20.28, failing to justify his hefty price tag.
Market dynamics at play
The contrasting trajectories highlight cricket’s unforgiving economics. Green’s consistent performances across formats and his fitness to bowl elevated his stock, while Iyer’s single poor season resulted in one of the harshest market corrections in IPL history. The INR 18.2 corer difference between their previuous salaries and current value encapsulates how rapidly fortunes can shift in franchise cricket’s high-stakes marketplace.
