The IPL 2026 mini auction concluded on December 16 at Abu Dhabi with a number of major surprises, with one particular moment catching the attention of fans and analysts. The team with the lowest purse at the beginning of the auction with just ₹2.75 crores was the Mumbai Indians, who made the first bid of Australian all-rounder Cameron Green. Despite this, Green would eventually become the costliest purchase in the history of IPL mini-auctions. Kolkata Knight Riders purchased Green for a price of ₹25.20 crore. Due to the maximum fee imposed by the BCCI, Green will receive ₹18 crore, with the rest transferred to the welfare fund of the other players. Nevertheless, the real chatter was not the price, but the question of why MI placed a bid. Akash Ambani Justifies the Reason Behind MI's Bid After the auction, the owner of MI, Akash Ambani, commented on the surprising choice. He said, “We're bidding on Cameron Green just because we can let him know that we appreciate him. He will always be with us in spirit. Whether he comes up again at auction, our paddle will be there.” This reiterates that it is not an issue of finances. It is an issue of respect. MI wants Green to know that despite not being able to afford him at this time, he is still respected by the franchise. This is also an indicator by MI that maybe in future times, he might rejoin them. Also Read | Why Cameron Green Won’t Get Full ₹25.2 Crore Despite Record IPL 2026 Bid Why MI Still Values Cameron Green Green has his breakout year in the IPL with Mumbai Indians in 2023. He scored 452 runs with a high strike rate while taking valuable wickets too. Before the start of the 2024 season, MI exchanged him to Royal Challengers Bengaluru for ₹17 crore, making way for Hardik Pandya. Yet, even after the trade, Green is still a player that MI respects. At RCB, he scored 255 runs, took 10 wickets, and also led his team to the play-offs. He is one of the most in-demand players in the league because of his overall contribution, hitting, as well as fast bowling. He missed playing in the IPL 2025 season due to an injury but returned to the auction pool this year. His availability thus turned out to be a significant event.