Cameron Green emerged as the first blockbuster name of R. Ashwin’s ‘Winning Bid’ mock auction series, triggering a high-voltage bidding war that saw his price soar to a staggering ₹30.5 crore. While Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) ultimately didn’t land the Australian all-rounder, their decision-making at the table created one of the most compelling narratives of the episode.
Interestingly, KKR’s restraint in the Green bidding paved the way for an equally bold move later in the auction – securing Liam Livingstone for ₹18.5 crore and crafting a different kind of headline.
What Is ‘Winning Bid’?
Winning Bid is a YouTube-led mock auction show conceptualised by Ravichandran Ashwin, where former cricketers, analysts, and guests bid like IPL franchises. Ashwin plays the auctioneer, recreating the tension, drama, and strategic calls of a real IPL auction, complete with bidding wars, surprise walkaways, and “sold” moments.
Season 2 opens with marquee players, and Cameron Green was always expected to set the tone.
How the Cameron Green Bidding Unfolded
Green entered the mock auction with a base price of ₹2 crore, but it took just a few bids for the numbers to explode. Delhi and Lucknow locked horns early, pushing the price upward before Chennai Super Kings (CSK) joined the fray.
The dynamic shifted dramatically once KKR entered the bidding. The tempo increased, bids came thick and fast, and the room felt the weight of a marquee decision. When the price touched ₹21 crore, KKR chose to step away — not due to lack of interest, but a clear price-point call on a premium, high-maintenance profile.
CSK eventually closed the deal at ₹30.5 crore, making Green the most expensive buy of the mock auction so far.
Why KKR Walking Away Was a Strategic Call
Cameron Green is the kind of player who divides auction rooms. He offers rare balance – a middle-order batter, seam-bowling all-rounder, and elite fielder rolled into one – but also demands structural adjustments around team composition, overseas slots, and salary distribution.
KKR’s exit at ₹21 crore wasn’t disinterest; it was discipline. In auction terms, it reflected clarity over squad balance rather than headline chasing.
Adding intrigue to Green’s valuation is the ongoing discussion around auction math linked to his contract structure — a detail that often gets lost on casual viewers but plays a major role in franchise strategy.
KKR’s Counterpunch: Liam Livingstone at ₹18.5 Crore
If CSK won the Cameron Green headline, KKR ensured they wrote their own storyline soon after.
Liam Livingstone’s auction sparked another bidding tussle, but this time KKR stayed in until the end, landing the English power-hitter for ₹18.5 crore notably less than the price where they exited for Green.
The contrast between the two players defines KKR’s thinking:
Green offers balance and long-term structure
Livingstone offers instant impact and chaos value
Livingstone brings explosive batting, matchup dominance, and game-changing ability in short bursts a profile perfectly suited to altering chases and momentum in T20 cricket.
A Mock Auction That Delivered Real Insight
The beauty of the Winning Bid episode lay in how it mirrored real IPL dynamics. KKR let CSK take the marquee all-rounder but responded with a statement buy that aligned better with their imagined team philosophy.
In doing so, the mock auction highlighted a core truth of modern T20 auctions: winning isn’t always about the biggest name, it’s about the right fit at the right price.
And in that sense, even without Cameron Green, KKR walked away with one of the smartest wins of the night.
