Ranked: The 10 Highest Paid IPL Players Ever
Key Takeaways
- Rohit Sharma is the highest paid player in cricket history, earning $20.9M in his career.
- 620 million people watched the 2024 IPL.
- IPL player auctions involve teams bidding on available players, with the highest-paying team landing the player.
Cricket is one of the most popular sports in the world. More than 620 million people watched the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL), representing a 38% increase from the 2023 IPL. So, it’s no wonder that the highest-paid IPL players earn millions.
For this graphic, Visual Capitalist partnered with ValuetheMarkets.com to rank the top 10 highest-paid players in IPL history.
IPL Player Dominance
The IPL is the world’s top cricket league. In the 2024 season, cricket fans watched over 350 billion minutes of matches.
IPL players are the highest-paid in cricket, with yearly salaries in the millions. Over the course of a career, these salaries can total tens of millions of dollars.
Below is the list of the top 10 highest-paid cricket players in IPL history, as of the 2025 IPL player auction:
| Rank | Name | Team | Total Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rohit Sharma | Mumbai Indians | $20.9M |
| 2 | Mahendra Singh Dhoni | Chennai Super Kings | $20.7M |
| 3 | Virat Kohli | Roya Challengers Bengaluru | $20.3M |
| 4 | Suresh Raina | Chennai Super Kings | $13.0M |
| 5 | Ravindra Jadeja | Chennai Super Kings | $12.8M |
| 6 | Sunil Narine | Kolkata Knight Riders | $12.5M |
| 7 | AB De Villiers | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | $11.9M |
| 8 | Gautam Gambhir | Delhi Capitals | $11.1M |
| 9 | Shikhar Dhawan | Punjab Kings | $10.7M |
| 10 | Dinesh Karthik | Royal Challengers Bengaluru | $10.2M |
The Auction System
The IPL works on an auction system unique to modern cricket. Teams bid on available players, with the highest-paying team landing the player. The auction price also functions as the player’s yearly salary.
However, IPL contracts are not uniform; generally speaking, most auction contracts last between 1 and 3 years.
The IPL also has a salary cap, similar to the NHL, that teams must adhere to in order to maintain competitiveness. There are also restrictions on foreign players and the number of players on a team.
A Golden Opportunity for Investors
The IPL is more than just a cricket tournament. It is a cultural event.
With record-breaking broadcasting deals worth $6 billion, highly valuable franchises, and a brand that spans the globe, driven by legions of hungry cricket fanatics, the IPL offers high-stakes investors incredible opportunities.
Learn more at ValuetheMarkets.com
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