Know why foreign players can’t earn beyond ₹18 crore at IPL auction: Learn the rule

With the IPL 2026 mini auction set to begin shortly, attention has shifted to an important rule that limits how much overseas players can earn, regardless of how intense the bidding becomes. Under regulations introduced by the IPL governing council, foreign players can receive a maximum salary of INR 18 crore from the mini auction, even if franchises bid higher amounts. Any sum beyond this cap is redirected to the BCCI’s player welfare fund, though teams must still deduct the full bid value from their auction purse.

This rule, first implemented ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, has now been extended to mini auctions to promote financial discipline and curb excessive spending. It aligns with the highest retention slab from the last mega auction, ensuring consistency in overseas player earnings.

Despite teams entering the auction with significant budgets—Kolkata Knight Riders holding INR 64.3 crore and Chennai Super Kings INR 43.6 crore—the cap prevents inflated pay packages for international stars. The move addresses long-standing concerns over mini auctions producing disproportionately high bids, particularly for overseas fast bowlers and all-rounders whose availability is often limited by international commitments.

Importantly, the restriction applies only to foreign players. Indian cricketers are exempt and will receive the full amount of their winning bids, even if they exceed INR 18 crore. This policy aims to balance fairness, sustainability, and long-term financial planning within the league.

This rule could prove decisive in the case of international players like Cameron Green, who might otherwise have been the biggest beneficiary of the IPL’s skewed demand–supply dynamics surrounding seam-bowling all-rounders during the mini auction, with Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings seemingly ready to break the bank for the Australian.

Cricketing fans wait eagerly to see how the bidding unfolds at the high-stakes auctions.

(With inputs from Agencies)