The Indian Premier League (IPL) owes its immense popularity and success to the extraordinary talent of its players. They are the ones who bring life to the tournament with their exceptional skills, passion, and determination. It is their performances on the field that compel millions of fans across the world to tune in and watch every match. The IPL has always been a breeding ground for some of the best cricketers around the globe. It is because of them that people follow and support their favourite teams even when they don’t play well. The league attracts both young and seasoned players, creating an interesting mix of cricketing styles that adds variety to viewership. The supreme performances from these talented individuals in a large arena such as this open doors for more opportunities in international cricket as well as sponsorship dealings, thus making them an integral part of what constitutes IPL today.
It is an undeniable fact that the Indian Premier League (IPL) pays its players high, making it one of the most lucrative leagues in the world. The league’s financial success is due to its widespread popularity and massive viewership base. Players are paid handsomely for their services, with some being offered contracts worth millions of dollars. This compensation not only benefits the players themselves but also elevates cricket as a profession in India, attracting talented individuals and creating more employment opportunities in the industry.
The highest paid cricketers in IPL have earned a substantial amount over their careers in IPL. In this blog post, the highest paid cricketers in IPL as of 2023 are discussed. Stay with the rest of the blog post to learn about them!
Top 8 Highest Paid Cricketers in IPL
Let us take a look at the highest paid cricketers in IPL as of 2023:
· Rohit Sharma
The IPL’s most successful skipper and highest-paid player is the star batsman Rohit Sharma. Mahendra Singh Dhoni is no longer at the top of the list for IPL earnings, as Rohit has surpassed him. The Mumbai Indians captain’s IPL earnings are estimated to be over Rs 178 crores. In 227 IPL games thus far, Rohit has scored 5879 runs at an average of 30.30. One full century and forty half centuries were produced throughout this time by his bat.
· MS Dhoni
The most expensive player in the first IPL auction was MS Dhoni, the captain of the Chennai Super Kings. His first pay was Rs 6 crore, rising to Rs 8.28 crore in 2011, Rs 12.5 crore in 2014, and finally Rs 15 crore in 2018. Dhoni will make Rs 12 crore in the IPL 2023, and he will have made around Rs 176 crore from the IPL. In 234 IPL games thus far, MS Dhoni, 41, has scored 4978 runs at an average of 39.20, including 24 half-centuries.
· Virat Kohli
Virat Kohli, a former captain of India, has made Rs 173 crore from the IPL and is one of the highest paid cricketers in IPL history. On this list, he is the only Indian who has never claimed the Indian Premier League championship. In addition, Virat Kohli has scored the most runs in IPL history. In 223 IPL games thus far, this former RCB skipper has scored 6624 runs at an average of 36.20. 5 hundreds and 44 half-centuries have been scored in the IPL under Virat’s name.
· Suresh Raina
One of the best batters in this T20 tournament, Suresh Raina, dubbed “Mr. IPL,” won four championships with CSK. In 205 games, Raina amassed 5528 runs, including one century and 39 half-centuries. In every season from 2008 to 2019, Raina scored 300 runs or more, which is a record. From the IPL, Raina made 110 crore rupees.
· Ravindra Jadeja
When the IPL began, Ravindra Jadeja was uncapped. He was purchased by the Rajasthan Royals for 12 lakh Indian rupees at the IPL’s first season’s auction. In this league, Jadeja constantly showed strong performance, which led to a rise in his pay. Jadeja has earned a total of 109 crore rupees so far from the IPL. In 210 IPL games played, left-handed all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has accrued 2502 runs. He has also grabbed 132 wickets in addition to this.
· Sunil Narine
Among the highest paid cricketers in IPL as of 2023, Sunil Narine has played for KKR since the 2012 season. Narine, a celebrity in the Caribbean, began with a salary of Rs. 3.51 crore.
From 2018 through 2021, he made Rs 12.5 crore every season, but in 2022, this salary dropped to Rs 6 crore. His IPL earnings as a whole are Rs 107 crores. In the 148 matches that Narine has played thus far in the IPL, he has 152 wickets at an average of 25.13. Narine has amassed 1025 runs while also significantly contributing at the plate.
· AB de Villiers
AB de Villiers retired following the conclusion of the IPL in 2021. AB de Villiers, a.k.a. “Mr. 360 Degree,” started off with an IPL salary of Rs. 1.2 crore, but thanks to his consistently strong play, his pay kept going up. De Villiers earned almost Rs 102 crore before leaving the IPL. De Villiers, a seasoned cricketer from Africa, amassed 5162 runs in 184 IPL games at an average of 39.70, including three hundreds and 40 half-centuries.
· Gautam Gambhir
In his 154 IPL games, left-handed batsman Gautam Gambhir amassed 4217 runs. Gautam Gambhir signed a Rs 2.9 crore contract with Delhi Daredevils in the year 2008. Gambhir was then purchased by Kolkata Knight Riders for KKR 11.04 crores at the IPL 2011 auction. Gambhir had great success while playing for KKR and twice led his side to victory. Gambhir made almost Rs 94 million from the IPL before retiring in 2018.
Conclusion
So these were some of the highest paid cricketers in IPL history. These individuals have earned their lucrative salaries through their consistent performance on the field, showcasing their exceptional batting and bowling skills. The IPL is not only a platform to exhibit talent but also provides an opportunity for players to establish themselves as brand ambassadors for major corporations, resulting in significant endorsements and sponsorships that further bolster their earnings. The demands of professional cricket are intense and require sustained focus and dedicated training. Hence it is essential to recognize that these top cricketers have earned their place through hard work, calculated risk-taking, and unwavering discipline on and off the field.
