The Indian player with the highest earnings from cricket alone, Rishabh Pant, surpassed Virat Kohli. Notably, the top-ranked batsman-wicketkeeper in the Indian Premier League (IPL) earned the biggest salary ever. The Delhi Capitals (DC) released him before the IPL 2025 mega auctions. Thus, he was acquired by the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for an incredible INR 27 crore (Indian rupees), setting a new record in the rich league’s history. He has eclipsed great Indian batsman Virat Kohli in another way in addition to surpassing former record holder Pat Cummins for the highest IPL salary.
Based solely on his cricketing responsibilities, Rishabh Pant is currently the highest-paid cricket player. He outperformed the former India Captain, who makes INR 28 crore a year, with an astounding INR 30 crore from his cricketing antics throughout the years. Notably, the two receive a significant portion of their income from the BCCI central contract and their IPL salary, which is a significant factor in cricket revenue.
Interestingly, according to CNBCTV18, Shreyas Iyer may have been on this list because of his incredible IPL compensation of INR 26.75 crore. However, the India Test Captain Rohit Sharma replaces the Mumbai-based hitter, who does not currently have a BCCI central contract, to take fifth place. Consequently, the most paid players in Indian cricket at the moment are all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, bowler Jasprit Bumrah, and captain Virat Kohli.
Top Indian players’ total earnings when IPL Salary and BCCI Contract combined
Player Name | IPL Salary | BCCI Contract/Grade | Total Income |
Rishabh Pant | 27 crore | 3 crore/ Grade B | INR 30 crore |
Virat Kohli | 21 crore | 7 crore/ Grade A+ | INR 28 crore |
Jasprit Bumrah | 18 crore | 7 crore/ Grade A+ | INR 25 crore |
Ravindra Jadeja | 18 crore | 7 crore/ Grade A+ | INR 25 crore |
Rohit Sharma | 16.30 crore | 7 crore/ Grade A+ | INR 23.30 crore |