IPL 2026 mini-auction is just a few days away, cameron green The biggest headlines are expected to be made that day. The Australian all-rounder is widely expected to trigger a bidding war, with several franchises hoping to secure his services. Yet, despite Chennai Super Kings entering the auction with the second-strongest purse, there is a perception that Green may not be a perfect fit for their current setup.
Notably, the five-time champions are entering IPL 2026 in a transitional phase. After finishing bottom in IPL 2025, the team is looking to improve. The franchise attracted significant attention by trading Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran to buy Sanju Samson, while Ravichandran Ashwin retired, and several players including Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi and Deepak Hooda were released.
Despite the changes, CSK has stuck to its core. Ruturaj Gaikwad remains the captain, MS Dhoni remains behind the stumps, and with the latest addition of Samson, the batting is set to be strong. Meanwhile, Ayush Mhatre, Urvil Patel, Dewald Brewis and Shivam Dubey form a powerful middle order.
CSK's mysterious video hints at their auction strategy
Notably, CSK's now-viral “Vegetable Market” video gives an indication of their auction strategy. The kiwi fruit pointed towards a New Zealand player, the apple pointed towards Jammu and Kashmir prospect Auqib Nabi, while a local mix packet pointed towards Venkatesh Iyer or a domestic all-rounder with Tamil Nadu connections.
IPL 2026: Why doesn't Cameron Green fit into CSK's setup?
What stood out, however, was the lack of any explicit reference to Cameron Green. Given his star power and expected price, fans took it to mean that the Chennai-based franchise is not looking at Green in their setup. The main reason behind Green not fitting into CSK's setup is that the core needs of the franchise do not match his skill set or price tag. CSK already has an explosive top and middle order. Green, who is not a natural finisher, will struggle to find a clear batting role in this line-up, especially in the death overs, where CSK prefer specialist finishers.
From a balance perspective, CSK are looking to fill very specific gaps, a quality spinner and a finisher rather than adding another multi-role player. Spending close to the overseas limit of Rs 18 crore on Green will limit their flexibility in the auction without solving their immediate problems.
Why won't Cameron Green get more than Rs 18 crore?
Notably, under BCCI rules, no foreign player can earn more than Rs 18 crore in the mini-auction. Even if the bidding goes beyond that figure, the extra amount goes into the BCCI's central pool. Green, already aware of this, has listed himself as a batsman rather than an all-rounder to ensure that his name comes up early when purses are at their fullest and bidding is most aggressive.
Ravichandran Ashwin on the green
Apart from this, former spinner Ravichandran Ashwin said that CSK urgently needs a spinner and a finisher. Ashwin pointed out that Green is not a natural finisher and will struggle to find the right batting slot behind Ruturaj, Mhatre, Brewis, Dubey and possibly Dhoni. Instead, CSK's analyst team seems to be leaning towards a specialist finisher.
Interestingly, he also suggested that CSK's role in the green bid could be strategic rather than genuine, which would drive up the price to rivals like KKR, who are in desperate need of an Andre Russell replacement.
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