IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi on December 16 marked a high-stakes mini-auction where franchises splurged over ₹215 crore on 77 players from a 369-player pool. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), armed with the largest purse of ₹64.3 crore after bold pre-auction releases, dominated proceedings by securing the two most expensive buys: Australian all-rounder Cameron Green for a record ₹25.20 crore and Sri Lankan slinger Matheesha Pathirana for ₹18 crore. This aggressive spending, totalling ₹124.55 crore across 25 players (8 overseas), left just ₹0.45 crore, signalling KKR’s intent to rebuild post their disappointing IPL 2025 title defence.
Kolkata Knight Riders’ strategic big-money signings in IPL 2026 Auction
KKR entered the auction having released high-profile names like Andre Russell (previously ₹12 crore), Venkatesh Iyer (₹23.75 crore), and Quinton de Kock to maximize flexibility, retaining a core of 12 players for around ₹39.35 crore. Their top targets focused on explosive batting depth, death bowling firepower, and all-round balance, outbidding rivals like Chennai Super Kings in intense battles for Green—who brings middle-order muscle and seam options—and Pathirana, whose slingy yorkers could terrorize finishers. Mustafizur Rahman (₹9.20 crore) adds left-arm variety, while Finn Allen (₹2 crore) and Rachin Ravindra (₹2 crore) provide aggressive top-order options, complementing retained finishers like Rinku Singh.
This revamp addresses KKR’s 2025 weaknesses: over-reliance on aging stars and batting collapses. Green, fresh from stints with Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, averages 44.50 in T20Is with a strike rate near 145, offering seam-hitting prowess at Eden Gardens. Pathirana’s 18 crore investment pays dividends with his IPL record of 42 wickets at 7.25 economy in death overs. Mid-tier picks like Tejasvi Dahiya (₹3 crore) and Tim Seifert (₹1.50 crore) bolster uncapped promise and keeping options, while Harshit Rana (retained at ₹4 crore) anchors domestic pace. KKR’s overseas quota filled smartly with Powell (₹1.50 crore) for power-hitting and Sunil Narine (retained ₹12 crore) for spin wizardry.
Also READ: IPL 2026 Auction: Complete list of sold players with their price
Salaries of KKR Players in IPL 2026
KKR’s squad blends retained stalwarts with auction gambles, prioritizing youth and versatility for Abhishek Nayar‘s high-intensity style. Here’s the full breakdown:
S.No.PlayerSold Price (₹)1Cameron Green25 crores 20 crores2Matheesha Pathirana18 crores3Rinku Singh13 crores4Sunil Narine12 crores5Varun Chakravarthy12 crores6Mustafizur Rahman9 crores 20 lakh7Harshit Rana4 crores8Ramandeep Singh4 crores9Tejasvi Dahiya3 crores10Angkrish Raghuvanshi3 crores11Rachin Ravindra2 crores12Finn Allen2 crores13Vaibhav Arora1 crores 80 lakh14Rovman Powell1 crores 50 lakh15Tim Seifert1 crores 50 lakh16Ajinkya Rahane1 crores 50 lakh17Akash Deep1 crore18Rahul Tripathi75 lakh19Manish Pandey75 lakh20Umran Malik75 lakh21Anukul Roy40 lakh22Sarthak Ranjan30 lakh23Daksh Kamra30 lakh24Prashant Solanki30 lakh25Kartik Tyagi30 lakh
Also READ: IPL 2026 Auction: Full list of unsold players along with their base price
