‘They Missed a Trick’: R Ashwin Questions CSK’s Strategy at IPL 2026 Mini Auction
R Ashwin says CSK missed a big opportunity by not securing Cameron Green at the IPL 2026 mini auction, calling KKR’s buy a brilliant move.
R Ashwin questions CSK’s auction strategy as KKR sign Cameron Green for a record price.
The former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has commented on the intense IPL 2026 mini auction that took place for the Australian all-rounder, Cameron Green and opined that Chennai Super Kings (CSK) missed one of the considerable chances.
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) had the last say and got Green for a jaw-dropping sum of ₹25.20 crore, which made him the highest-priced international player in IPL till now. Along with their hefty financial resources, CSK and KKR were the ones most likely to go for an all-out bid for the sought-after all-rounder.
As the price escalated, CSK withdrew from the bidding at ₹25 crores. Ashwin remarked that the franchise might have to deal with huge losses due to that decision. While discussing it on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said that KKR could have employed a more patient bidding strategy to make CSK pull out sooner.
He also mentioned that among the teams though, Punjab Kings was one that always timed their bids just right to apply strategic pressure. “If KKR had somewhat more patience with their bids, CSK might have pulled out much earlier”. It almost felt like CSK stayed in because they had to,” Ashwin remarked.
Despite CSK missing out, Ashwin was full of praise for Cameron Green’s abilities. He described the Australian as a “generational talent”, adding that the price tag should not overshadow the player’s long-term value. “I felt Green would have been a fantastic addition to CSK. They missed a trick there.“The exact number doesn’t really matter, this is a fantastic deal for KKR anyway,” he remarked.
Cameron Green is going to play for his third IPL team, after being a part of Mumba Indians and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. He was not part of the auction last time because of a serious injury that he had during the off-season, so his return to the IPL auction pool is very important.
