IPL 2026 Auction: Foreign Players Won’t Outprice Pant or Iyer Due to New BCCI Rule

New Delhi: The IPL 2026 player auction is set for 16 December in Abu Dhabi, with a record 1,355 players registered—a clear testament to the tournament’s growing global popularity. This year, the auction is attracting significant attention for foreign players, but a new BCCI regulation is set to cap their earnings, preventing any foreign player from earning more than India’s top domestic stars like Rishabh Pant or Shreyas Iyer.

Big Names, Big Price Tags

Among the high-profile players, several have a base price of ₹2 crore. These include 43 foreign players and 2 Indian players. Top foreign prospects drawing attention include Australia’s all-rounder Cameron Green and Sri Lanka’s young pacer Mathisha Pathirana, recently released by Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Pathirana’s Malinga-style action and youth make him a potential franchise favorite, with bidding expected to soar.

KKR Leads with Biggest Purse

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) enter the auction with the largest remaining purse, having retained 12 players and holding ₹64.30 crore for new signings. After spending a record ₹24.75 crore on Mitchell Starc in the 2024 mini-auction, KKR is ready to aggressively bid on top talent again.

New Salary Cap Rule for Foreign Players

BCCI has introduced a key new regulation: a salary cap for foreign players. Under this rule, no foreign player can earn more than ₹18 crore, regardless of the winning bid. For instance, if a franchise bids ₹20 crore for a foreign player, the player will receive ₹18 crore, while the remaining ₹2 crore will go to the BCCI Players’ Welfare Fund. However, the entire bid amount will be deducted from the franchise’s purse.

This cap does not apply to Indian players. An Indian player bought for ₹22 crore will receive the full ₹22 crore. The rule is expected to impact marquee foreign players like Cameron Green and Mathisha Pathirana, compelling teams to rethink their bidding strategies for overseas stars.

With the IPL 2026 auction just days away, this new foreign player salary cap could reshape team strategies, ensuring Indian stars continue to dominate the highest earnings bracket.