IPL Players: Who is the Highest Paid Player in Cricket History?

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Ranked: The 10 Highest Paid IPL Players Ever

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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:

RankNameTeamTotal Salary
1Rohit SharmaMumbai Indians$20.9M
2Mahendra Singh DhoniChennai Super Kings$20.7M
3Virat KohliRoya Challengers Bengaluru$20.3M
4Suresh RainaChennai Super Kings$13.0M
5Ravindra JadejaChennai Super Kings$12.8M
6Sunil NarineKolkata Knight Riders$12.5M
7AB De VilliersRoyal Challengers Bengaluru$11.9M
8Gautam GambhirDelhi Capitals$11.1M
9Shikhar DhawanPunjab Kings$10.7M
10Dinesh KarthikRoyal 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.

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Learn more at ValuetheMarkets.com

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