Biggest IPL 2026 Salary Cuts — Players Who Lost the Most Money

Every IPL auction tells two stories — the players who got rich and the players who got cut. The 2025 mega-auction that built the IPL 2026 squads delivered some of the steepest pay-cuts in recent league history. IPL 2026 biggest salary cuts include former captains, marquee overseas players, and once-elite Indian internationals who signed for half or less of their previous deals. Here is the top 10, with previous and new salary, the cut percentage, and how each is faring mid-season.

TL;DR — The 10 Biggest Salary Cuts

Rank	Player	2024 Salary	2026 Salary	Cut	New Franchise	Status
1	Cameron Green	Rs. 17.5 Cr	Rs. 8 Cr	-54%	RCB*	Active
2	Nicholas Pooran	Rs. 16 Cr	Rs. 11 Cr	-31%	LSG	Outperforming
3	Mitchell Starc	Rs. 24.75 Cr	Rs. 12 Cr	-52%	DC	Mixed
4	Pat Cummins	Rs. 20.5 Cr	Rs. 18 Cr	-12%	SRH	Outperforming
5	KL Rahul	Rs. 17 Cr	Rs. 14 Cr	-18%	DC	Steady
6	Chris Morris (retired)	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
7	Liam Livingstone	Rs. 11.5 Cr	Rs. 8.75 Cr	-24%	SRH	Improving
8	Harshal Patel	Rs. 11.75 Cr	Rs. 8 Cr	-32%	SRH	Steady
9	Avesh Khan	Rs. 10 Cr	Rs. 6 Cr	-40%	LSG	Underperforming
10	Mohammed Shami	Rs. 6.25 Cr	Rs. 5 Cr	-20%	SRH	Steady

For the wider salary view, see the IPL 2026 salary list across all 10 teams and the retained-player salary rules. To rate the auction itself, our IPL 2026 auction rater covers franchise grades.

The Cameron Green Drop — Injury and Form

Green's Rs. 17.5 Cr deal to RCB in 2024 was the most expensive overseas deal of that auction window. A back injury and inconsistent form pushed his price down to Rs. 8 Cr in the 2025 auction. The cut is sharp but the franchise still believes in the upside — Green's 2026 has been steady but not transformative.

Mitchell Starc — From Record to Rebuild

Starc's 2024 Rs. 24.75 Cr was the largest single auction price in IPL history. The 2025 auction saw him reset at Rs. 12 Cr to DC. The 52% cut reflects KKR's decision not to retain at the previous price. Starc's 2026 has been a mixed bag — wickets in the powerplay, expensive in the death.

Pooran — A Cut That Looks Like a Bargain Now

Pooran's Rs. 11 Cr at LSG looked like a step down from his Rs. 16 Cr 2024 price. Mid-season, Pooran is one of the highest-output batters in the league — and one of the league's best ground-fielding performers. LSG got a steal.

KL Rahul to DC — A Sensible Reset

KL Rahul moved from LSG to DC at Rs. 14 Cr — Rs. 3 Cr less than his 2024 deal. The reset reflects market correction more than a performance drop. Rahul's 2026 has been steady, though the captaincy at DC went to Axar Patel.

Cummins — Smallest Cut, Biggest Captain ROI

Pat Cummins's 12% cut is the smallest in the top 10. SRH got their captain back at a slight discount and Cummins continues to outperform — both as a death-overs bowler and as a calm tactical leader.

Avesh and Harshal — The Indian Pace Reset

The two most painful Indian-pace cuts. Avesh's 40% drop reflects his 2024-25 dip; Harshal's 32% reflects the auction's deflation of mid-tier Indian seam. Both are still top-half value bets at their new prices.

Outlook — Redemption Arcs in the Back Half

Of the 10, three are clearly outperforming their new contracts (Pooran, Cummins, Livingstone), four are steady (Rahul, Harshal, Shami, Starc), and three are still proving the new salary (Green, Avesh). Expect at least two redemption-arc stories — Pooran is already one — in the playoffs.

FAQ

Q: Who took the biggest IPL 2026 salary cut? By absolute amount, Mitchell Starc (Rs. 12.75 Cr drop). By percentage, Cameron Green at -54%.

Q: Why does the auction cut salaries so sharply? Form, injury, market correction and franchise budget shifts.

Q: Can a player negotiate their salary mid-season? No — IPL contracts are fixed at auction.

Q: Which cut player is outperforming most? Nicholas Pooran at LSG.

Q: How are uncapped player salaries different from capped? Different cap structure, lower base; covered in our salary cap explainer.

---

Related: IPL 2026 Auction Rater