The Indian Premier League (IPL) is a significant platform for cricketers to earn riches from the game, with teams willing to invest heavily on top players. Here’s a look at the most lucrative contracts for the new IPL 2025 season starting from 12th March.
Key Highlights
- Rishabh Pant emerged as the highest-paid player with a record-breaking salary of ₹27 crore, signed by Lucknow Super Giants.
- Shreyas Iyer, with consistent top-order performances, secured a massive deal of ₹26.75 crore from Punjab Kings.
- All-rounder Venkatesh Iyer, known for his explosive batting and useful bowling, was retained by Kolkata Knight Riders for ₹23.75 crore.
- South African wicketkeeper-batter Heinrich Klaasen fetched ₹23 crore from Sunrisers Hyderabad due to his power-hitting abilities. He tops the list for the highest paid foreign player and the only international in the top 10.
- Veteran batter Virat Kohli, retained by Royal Challengers Bangalore, continues to command a premium salary of ₹21 crore.
| Player | Team | Salary (₹) | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rishabh Pant | Lucknow Super Giants | ₹27 crore | Wicketkeeper-Batter |
| Shreyas Iyer | Punjab Kings | ₹26.75 crore | Batter |
| Venkatesh Iyer | Kolkata Knight Riders | ₹23.75 crore | All-Rounder |
| Heinrich Klaasen | Sunrisers Hyderabad | ₹23 crore | Wicketkeeper-Batter |
| Virat Kohli | Royal Challengers Bangalore | ₹21 crore | Batter |
| Jasprit Bumrah | Mumbai Indians | ₹18 crore | Bowler |
| Sanju Samson | Rajasthan Royals | ₹18 crore | Wicketkeeper-Batter |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal | Rajasthan Royals | ₹18 crore | Batter |
| Hardik Pandya | Mumbai Indians | ₹16.35 crore | All-Rounder |
| Suryakumar Yadav | Mumbai Indians | ₹16.35 crore | Batter |
The salaries mentioned are annual contracts, meaning the amounts are what players will earn for the entire season, not per game. Each player will receive their contracted salary if they participate in all matches throughout the tournament.
Additionally, starting from IPL 2025, players will also earn a match fee of ₹7.5 lakhs per game. This means that if a player participates in all matches, they can earn significantly more than their base salary due to this additional compensation. For example, if a player plays all 14 league matches, they would earn an extra ₹1.05 crore (14 matches × ₹7.5 lakhs) on top of their contracted salary
Factors Influencing Earnings
What factors exactly commands a player’s value and salary?
- Performance Stats: This is the most important parameter a player performing consistently at the top level fetches the highest value as well. Shreyas Iyer captained KKR to an IPL win in 2024. This meant that top teams were willing to shell out big bucks for him and with a switch to Punjab Kings his salary increased from 12.25 to 26.75 crores.
- Marketability and Brand Value: An often ignored but a key factor is also a player’s ability to attract sponsorships and engage fans. This brings additional popularity to an outfit increasing their revenues.
As the IPL continues to grow in popularity and financial power, these figures will only continue to rise in the following seasons. The combination of star power and commercial viability makes these players invaluable assets to their respective sides.
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