In a shocking turn of events, an Indian cricketer has surpassed Virat Kohli to become the highest-paid in the country. With the IPL 2025 auction bringing massive bids, here’s a look at the players who have now earned more than the legendary Kohli.
Rishabh Pant’s Record-Breaking IPL Deal
Rishabh Pant, the star Indian wicket-keeper and batter has set a new benchmark as he surpassed Virat Kohli to become the highest paid Indian cricketer. Pant was roped in by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for a whopping amount of INR 27 crore in the recent IPL 2025 auction, this made him the most expensive player in the history of cash-rich league.
How Much Does Rishabh Pant Earn?
Pant’s record breaking deal with LSG shattered the previous record of INR 24.75 crore that was set by Mitchell Starc in IPL 2024, he was roped in by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Rishabh Pant has a total earning of INR 30 crore when combined with his IPL salary. He is in BCCI’s Grade B contract and earns INR 3 crore.
He was demoted too Grade B after his horrific car accident in December 2022. He is now likely to get promoted back to Grade A or even A+ in the next contract cycle of BCCI.
Virat Kohli On 2nd Position
Pant’s sensational IPL bid has relegated Virat Kohli, the former captain, to the second position in the list of highest-paid Indian cricketers. Kohli, retained by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for INR 21 crore, has a combined annual earning of INR 28 crore, with INR 7 crore of that coming from his Grade A+ BCCI contract.
Shreyas Iyer Climbs To 3rd Spot On Earnings List
Shreyas Iyer shook the table by coming third in the list of most paid Indian cricketers, despite not having a BCCI contract. Iyer’s new IPL contract with Punjab Kings at INR 26.75 crore saw him go past Rohit Sharma. This deal places Iyer as the second-most expensive IPL player ever, only behind Pant.
Other High-Earning Indian Cricketers
Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja are at the number next to A+ grade contract category in BCCI and earned INR 25 crores together. Bumrah has been retained by Mumbai Indians with the amount of INR 18 crores while Ravindra Jadeja got retained by Chennai Super Kings at the same price which places them in the list of high-earning players.
Hardik Pandya & Rohit Sharma’s Earnings
Hardik Pandya, retained by Mumbai Indians for INR 16.35 crore, lies just behind the list of highest-paid Indian cricketers. Rohit Sharma, though he is placed in the Grade A+ category in the BCCI retainership, he earns INR 16.30 crores from his IPL contract with Mumbai Indians, which places him second to Pandya.
