Akash Ambani’s act during Cameron Green bidding at IPL 2026 auction breaks the internet

The IPL 2026 Auction on Tuesday, December 16, in Abu Dhabi produced one of its most unforgettable moments even before the bidding truly exploded at the Etihad Arena. Actually, there was a brief pause in the auction room when Cameron Green’s name was called up.

No franchise was willing to make the first move. Then, in a quiet but clever twist, Mumbai Indians owner Akash Ambani raised the paddle. Not to buy Cameron Green, but simply to set the market in motion. Mumbai Indians opened the bidding at Green’s base price of ₹2 crore.

Akash Ambani’s thumbs-up moment goes viral during Cameron Green bidding at IPL 2026 Auction

Everyone in the room knew MI was not serious, as they had only ₹2.60 crore left in their purse. Once the opening bid was placed, other teams jumped in immediately, and Akash Ambani calmly stepped aside, which caught everyone's attention.

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Read Also: IPL 2026 Auction: CSK, MI, RCB & others brutally slammed after Prithvi Shaw, Sarfaraz Khan go unsold

Ambani’s relaxed reaction, with a smile and a thumbs-up, perfectly captured the moment, knowing Green would not be returning to MI and fetching a big paycheck.

Akash Ambani having fun with the starting bid of Cameron Green 😭😂🤝#CameronGreen #iplauction2026 pic.twitter.com/Uj0jEl5vqG

— CricXtasy (@CricXtasy) December 16, 2025

Akash Ambani goes for Green with 2.75cr Purse 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/fypZCEluN0

— Ayyappan (@Ayyappan_1504) December 16, 2025

Can’t forget the visuals when Cameron Green scored 100 in Wankhede.

Letting him go was one of the biggest blunders by Mumbai Indians and now they want him.

Akash Ambani tries to be a mastermind but sadly he’s not. pic.twitter.com/VxVdkXZET9

— ANSHUMAN🚩 (@AvengerReturns) December 16, 2025

CSK push hard, but KKR break the bank for Cameron Green at IPL 2026 Auction

Later, a fierce bidding war between the franchises broke out at the auction. Rajasthan Royals stayed in the race for a while but eventually backed out. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who entered the auction with the biggest purse of ₹64.3 crore, were ready to break their bank for Green.

Chennai Super Kings (₹43.4 crore purse) pushed them hard for the Australian all-rounder. The bids quickly reached ₹10 crore, then ₹15 crore, and soon crossed the ₹20 crore mark. The battle intensified when CSK touched ₹25 crore, breaking Mitchell Starc’s record of ₹24.75 crore.

However, KKR managed to sign Green for a massive ₹25.2 crore, making him the most expensive overseas player in IPL auction history. However, due to the new IPL rules, an overseas player can earn a maximum of ₹18 crore as salary. The remaining ₹7.20 crore from Green’s deal will go into player welfare funds initiated by the BCCI.

Read Also: KKR officially announce Cameron Green’s batting position for IPL 2026; Sunil Narine demoted

KKR will be Green’s third franchise in the IPL. The star all-rounder had already played for the Mumbai Indians in 2023, when MI spent ₹17.5 crore on him, and later turned out for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in 2024. However, Green missed the IPL 2025 because of a back injury. Now, Green is all set to begin a new chapter with the Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL.

Venky Mysore confirms Cameron Green fits perfectly into KKR's IPL 2026 plans

Meanwhile, KKR CEO Venky Mysore said that the franchise is satisfied that Green came within their planned range and fits perfectly into the team’s requirements after releasing Venkatesh Iyer.

Mysore told the broadcasters, “We are very pleased, especially given how unpredictable auctions can be. The player came within the range we had planned for, which made the outcome even more satisfying.

"He adds immense value to the squad, and with Andre Russell coming on board as our new power coach, having a young all-rounder with IPL and international experience is ideal. Given his impact with both bat and ball and the conditions at Eden, we couldn’t be happier with the outcome.”