Maxwell and Moeen skip the IPL auctions as Cameron Green registers, favourite to go away with a massive payday.
IPL 2026 auction: Green in line for IPL payday; Maxwell and Moeen opt out.
Cameron Green, Liam Livingstone, Ravi Bishnoi, Venkatesh Iyer, Matheesha Pathirana and Wanindu Hasaranga are among 45 players that have stated the maximum reserve price of INR 2 crore to participate in the 2026 IPL auction.
Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell, who was acquired by Punjab Kings last year for 4.2 crore, making them his fourth IPL team, is one prominent absence from the longlist. But midway through the 2025 season, Maxwell, 37, suffered a fractured finger. Mitchell Owen, another Australian all-rounder, took his place, and PBKS has kept him.
Like Faf du Plessis, England all-rounder Moeen Ali has chosen to play in the Pakistan Super League rather than the IPL. Moeen has been part of eight IPL seasons since 2018 and has won two titles with CSK. The legendary Andre Russell of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who joined the club as a “power coach” and retired from the IPL after not being retained, is one of the notable absentees.
There are 77 spots available to be filled at the auction, including 31 foreign players, with a maximum squad size of 25 each franchise.
Before the day-long auction, which will take place in Abu Dhabi on December 16, the IPL will trim the list after receiving wishlists from all ten franchises. The IPL has given franchisees till December 5th to submit their shortlist.
While Indian players with specialist skillsets will be in contention for huge money, the dominant attention at the auction is anticipated to be on Australia’s allrounder Green, who did not participate in the 2025 mega-sale as he was recovering from back ailment. KKR (64.3 crore) and Chennai Super Kings (43.4 crore), who have the biggest budgets going into the auction and both have a spot open for an international player, are likely to show interest.
After West Indies T20 legend Andre Russell retired from the IPL this weekend, KKR could be considered a favourite to compete for Green. In addition to being a useful seamer and an asset in the field, Green can fit anywhere in the batting order.