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.
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. | Player | Sold Price (₹) |
| 1 | Cameron Green | 25 crores 20 crores |
| 2 | Matheesha Pathirana | 18 crores |
| 3 | Rinku Singh | 13 crores |
| 4 | Sunil Narine | 12 crores |
| 5 | Varun Chakravarthy | 12 crores |
| 6 | Mustafizur Rahman | 9 crores 20 lakh |
| 7 | Harshit Rana | 4 crores |
| 8 | Ramandeep Singh | 4 crores |
| 9 | Tejasvi Dahiya | 3 crores |
| 10 | Angkrish Raghuvanshi | 3 crores |
| 11 | Rachin Ravindra | 2 crores |
| 12 | Finn Allen | 2 crores |
| 13 | Vaibhav Arora | 1 crores 80 lakh |
| 14 | Rovman Powell | 1 crores 50 lakh |
| 15 | Tim Seifert | 1 crores 50 lakh |
| 16 | Ajinkya Rahane | 1 crores 50 lakh |
| 17 | Akash Deep | 1 crore |
| 18 | Rahul Tripathi | 75 lakh |
| 19 | Manish Pandey | 75 lakh |
| 20 | Umran Malik | 75 lakh |
| 21 | Anukul Roy | 40 lakh |
| 22 | Sarthak Ranjan | 30 lakh |
| 23 | Daksh Kamra | 30 lakh |
| 24 | Prashant Solanki | 30 lakh |
| 25 | Kartik Tyagi | 30 lakh |
