The IPL (Indian Premier League) is undoubtedly one of the richest T20 leagues globally. Millions of bucks are invested by different franchises to get the best players in their dugouts. Even a not-so-popular player attracts millions with his base price. Since its (IPL) introduction, the tournament has grown with every passing season, whether it’s the fans’ response or the amount of money invested in it. As far as the IPL’s revenue generation is concerned, it even overpowered English Premier League and the NBA. The cash-rich league just gets bigger.
Any player who plays domestic cricket in their country attracts a decent amount of money. In this piece, we are about to discuss the ten highest-paid cricketers in the history of IPL. The players mentioned in our list have attracted a hefty sum, and it’s because of their brand value as well as their reputation as a player. Some of these players are still active in the league. These players vary in their skills, but they have showcased their class at the highest level, which is why they were in the bracket of the highest-paid players in the league’s history. Let’s have a look at the ten highest-paid cricketers in IPL history.
Highest Paid Cricketers in IPL History
| No. | Player | Team | Salary (in INR) | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rishabh Pant | Lucknow Super Giants | 27 crore | 2025 |
| 2 | Shreyas Iyer | Punjab Kings | 26.75 crore | 2025 |
| 3 | Mitchell Starc | Kolkata Knight Riders | 24.75 crore | 2024 |
| 4 | Venkatesh Iyer | Kolkata Knight Riders | 23.75 crore | 2025 |
| 5 | Heinrich Klaasen | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 23 crore | 2025 |
| 6 | Virat Kohli | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | 21 crore | 2025 |
| 7 | Nicholas Pooran | Lucknow Super Giants | 21 crore | 2025 |
| 8 | Pat Cummins | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 20.50 crore | 2024 |
| 9 | Sam Curran | Punjab Kings | 18.50 crore | 2023 |
| 10 | Rashid Khan | Gujarat Titans | 18 crore | 2025 |
Key Stats
It is in the retentions of IPL 2025, with the salary cap increased for every team to 120 crores, and many players have been retained with huge paychecks. Heinrich Klaasen has been retained at a massive price of 23.5 crores, which is only 1.5 crores less than the record IPL buy of Mitchell Starc in the 2024 mini-auction.
Virat is arguably the superstar of modern-day cricket, so obviously, his IPL price suits his calibre. His reputation as a player and a big marketing personality for any advertisement brand is very high. Royal Challengers Bangalore bought the right-hander in 2008, and since then, he has always been part of this franchise. The former India skipper is now the highest-paid Indian player in the history of IPL. He is also the only player in IPL history to play for the same team in every IPL season. Find out an amazing list of records that Virat Kohli holds in IPL here.
For the last few years, Pat Cummins has done a wonderful job for the Australian side. Kolkata Knight Riders needed someone to pick wickets during critical junctures, so the franchise thought Pat Cummins was the right man for them. The Australian all-rounder was also the number-one bowler in Tests for some time, per the rankings that prove his capabilities. The franchise managed to buy the pacer for a sum of INR 15 crore after a close fight with Royal Challengers Bangalore.
Gujarat Titans were lucky to have Rashid Khan in their dugout. Rashid Khan’s variations make him one of the best in the business; he can test batters with six different deliveries in an over if he wants. The former Sunrisers Hyderabad bowler played an important role in helping his side win the 2022 IPL title. Rashid was then part of the newly added Gujarat franchise, which retained him again for his third straight year in the team for a whopping 18 crores – his personal best.
Other players who are retained at the same price of 18 crores before the 2025 mega auction are Sanju Samson (RR), Yashasvi Jaiswal (RR), Ruturaj Gaikwad (CSK), Ravindra Jadeja (CSK), and Jasprit Bumraj (MI).
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