IPL: Cameron Green, a knight who battles kidney ailment to attract record pay cheque

The Rs 25.20 crore price tag for allrounder Cameron Green which Kolkata Knight Riders shelled out to make the Australian the highest paid overseas star ever on Tuesday, was one of the most predictable moves of the IPL mini auction 2026. A projected battle between KKR and Chennai Super Kings for a world class overseas allrounder was to be the key theme in Abu Dhabi – but it’s not easy to be in the shoes of the 26-year-old gentle giant.

 ‘’Ami KKR,’’ (I’m KKR) said the cheerful Green from Australia, where the upbeat Baggy Greens buckle down for the third Ashes Test in Adelaide from Wednesday, already 2-0 up in the series. What often goes under the radar about Green is that he is a rare example of a top bracket professional cricketer to have defied a chronic disease, an irreversible Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), much like the way the legendary Wasim Akram fought with diabetes to come this far.

 ‘’I am excited to be a part of KKR this year and can’t wait to go down to the Eden Gardens and be a part of that atmosphere,’’ Green said in a video clip from the franchise. Commenting on the price tag which marginally tops the previous best of Rs 24.75 cr for Mitchell Starc (KKR in 2024), franchise CEO Venky Mysore told the media: ‘’We are quite happy with the price with which we got him. Green adds a lot to our team. He’s a young allrounder but we know what he does with the bat and ball.’’

After decent runs with Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore, Green is now primed up for taking a major responsibility as No.3 batter and containing seam bowler who can also bowl the death overs – a role played to a nicety by Andre Russell all these years. Meanwhile, a visit to Bengaluru for the away game next year may again see him visit the Bengaluru Kidney Foundation to spread awareness for the disease.

 ‘’I am happy to be a symbol of hope to those born with CKD to show that all is not lost if one has it. With sufficient awareness and a diet plan worked out with the help of experts, you can slow down the progress of the disease,’’ Green had said during a virtual interaction with selected media last season.

‘’I loved my time at the foundation, talking to the patients – some of whom were also undergoing dialysis.  Hopefully, I could raise some awareness for it,’’ said Green, who was given 12 years to live by the doctors but has defied the odds to emerge as one of the Gen-X Australian stars.

There is, of course, no gainsaying that life can be difficult for a CKD patient in professional cricket as there have been instances when Green suffered severe cramps due to salt loss from the body.

‘’Yes, those could be challenging times. Sometimes, you are in a really good position and feel that you can take the team over the line and then this happens. I feel guilty about it and emotional too...However, I am lucky to have the specialists around me,’’ a candid Green said on that occasion.

However, there is a catch about Green’s salary, thanks to the new BCCI rule from the next season. He is entitled to the capped salary of Rs 18 crore set for overseas professionals, while the remaining Rs 7.20 cr will go to the BCCI. Green has so far scored 707 runs in 29 IPL matches before for MI and RCB, in the last two seasons, at a strike-rate of 153.69.

 Meanwhile, the benefit of the biggest budget at their disposal (Rs 64.30 cr) allowed the Knights to stretch themselves for Sri Lankan slinger Matheesha Pathirana and pick him up at Rs 18 crores. A bidding war between Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants ensued for Pathirana and once Capitals pulled out, KKR jumped into the fray at Rs 16 crores. The second round of bidding saw KKR boost their seam attack further with Mustafizur Rehman, who became the costliest Bangladesh player in IPL with Rs 9.2 crores.

 Two other newsmakers of the day were Prashant Veer of UP and Rajasthan’s Karthik Sharma, who became the joint-most expensive uncapped picks in IPL auction history when CSK broke the bank for both in quick succession, paying a whopping 14.20 crore each. The previous highest in this category was held by LSG when they roped in Avesh Khan for 10 cr ahead of IPL 2022.

Top buys in IPL mini auction 2025

Cameron Green (Australia, KKR) Rs 25.20 crores

Matheesha Pathirana (Sri Lanka, KKR) Rs 18 cr

Prashant Veer (India, uncapped; CSK) Rs 14.20 cr

Karthik Sharma (India, uncapped; CSK) Rs 14.20 cr

Liam Livingstone (England, SRH) Rs 13 cr

Mustafizur Rehman (Bangladesh, KKR) Rs 9.2 cr

Aquib Nabi (India, upcapped; DC) Rs 8.40 cr

Ravi Bishnoi (India, RR) Rs 7.40 cr

Venkatesh Iyer (India, RCB) Rs 7 cr

Jason Holder (WI, Gujarat Titans) Rs 7 cr