Players Who Have Earned the Most Through IPL in the Last 17 Years

Run by the most affluent cricket board in the world– BCCI– the Indian Premier League is among the world’s highest-paid lucrative tournaments.

As mentioned by Forbes, IPL is the sixth most valuable sports league in the world, ranking behind the NFL, the Champions League, and Europe’s four big football leagues.

A franchise-based T20 game that began in 2008 has seen several youngsters soaring to new heights, and a few players have earned more than INR 100 crore from the league so far.

No wonder this game attracts the best players in the world to play in the IPL every year. Let’s find players who have earned the most through IPL since its inception in 2008.

Here's the list of players who have earned INR 100 crores or more in the IPL.

1. Rohit Sharma
2. Mahendra Singh Dhoni
3. Virat Kohli
4. Suresh Raina
5. Ravindra Jadeja
6. Sunil Narine
7. AB De Villiers
8. Gautam Gambhir
9. Shikhar Dhawan
10. Dinesh Karthik

Rohit Sharma

Standing on the top of the list, we have Rohit Sharma, with an overall IPL earning of INR 178.6 crore. Leading the Ambani-owned franchise’s success and turnaround in the IPL since 2013, Rohit Sharma has propelled the side to 5 IPL titles from 2013 to 2020.

His IPL career began in 2008 with Deccan Chargers, a Hyderabad-based franchise, for INR 4.8 crore. After playing for three seasons, he was sold to Mumbai Indians for INR 9.2 crore in the 2011 IPL mega auction. Since then, the franchise has retained him as their No.1 choice player in every mega auction. After playing for three seasons at MI in 2014, his salary increased to INR 12.5 crore and then to INR 15 crore in 2018. And ahead of the 2022 IPL mega auction, MI retained Rohit for a whopping INR 16 crore.

Rohit, the 3rd leading run-scorer in IPL history, is one of the few players who have been featured in all 15 seasons of the IPL so far. Sharma has played 232 IPL matches and amassed 6014 runs, averaging 30.22.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni

With an overall earning of INR 176.8 crore in the IPL, the former captain of Team India, MS Dhoni, comes second on the list.

The wicketkeeper-batsman joined CSK in 2008 as a marquee player for INR 6 crore and remained at the team’s helm. After leading the team to their title win in 2010, his salary saw a hike that reached INR 8.2 crore, and in 2014, CSK retained him for INR 12.5 crore.

When CSK got banned in 2015, RPSG picked Dhoni for INR 12.5 crore and played for the franchise for two years. When CSK returned in 2018, Dhoni played for INR 15 crore as their first player, and in 2022, CSK retained Dhoni for INR 12 crore, which continued in 2023.

Dhoni, who announced his retirement from international cricket in 2020, had played 13 seasons for CSK and two seasons for Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016 and 2017 when CSK was banned. He is the 9th highest scorer in the IPL with 4878 runs, averaging 39 with a strike rate of 135. For the 16th season of IPL, Mahi is back in action, but perhaps for the last time.

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Virat Kohli

The former Royal Challengers Bangalore’s captain and star player, Virat Kohli, has a net IPL earning of INR 173.2 crore and comes third on the list.

In 2008, RCB picked up Kohli for INR 12 lakhs for the first 3 IPL seasons, and in 2011, RCB retained him for INR 8.2 crore. As his performances soared in the sky and he attained the captaincy post, his price also shot up. In 2014, Virat Kohli was retained for INR 12.5 crore, and in 2018, his price was INR 17 crore– and he was the first player in the IPL to get INR 17 crore per season.

After Kohli stepped down as captain from all formats of cricket, his IPL salary in 2022 has shaved off by two crores, making it INR 15 crore from INR 17 crore, which he drew from IPL 2018 to 2021. The RCB skipper will carry the same salary in IPL 2023 as well.

The leading run-scorer in the IPL's history, the RCB skipper, Virat Kohli, has played all 15 editions for RCB – and is the only player to achieve that for a single team. The 34-year-old star player has played 229 IPL matches, with a score of 6903 runs, averaging 36.72.

Suresh Raina

The now-retired Southpaw still stands in fourth place in terms of net IPL earnings. Suresh Raina has earned INR 110.74 crores, making him the 4th highest earner in the IPL.

In 2008, the Chennai Super Kings bought Raina's services for INR 2.6 crores for the first three IPL seasons, and since then, he has been the backbone of the franchise. Raina had been the highest run-scorer in the IPL before Virat Kohli overtook him after IPL 12. In 2011, CSK retained Raina for INR 5.9 crores— and throughout his IPL career, Raina has batted at the number 3 position. When CSK disbanded in 2015, Gujarat Lions took him for INR 12 crores, which dropped to INR 9.5 crores in 2017. In 2018, when CSK returned, Raina was taken in by the team for INR 11 crores and retained in 2019 as well.

Popularly known as Mr. IPL, Suresh Raina had played 205 IPL matches and amassed 5528 runs, averaging 32.51. Raina had played with CSK for 11 seasons but was left unsold in 2020. He last played IPL in 2021 for CSK at INR 11 crores, and he took his retirement from the T20 league in September 2022.

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Ravindra Jadeja

In the number five spot, we have Ravindra Jadeja, who started his IPL career as an uncapped player– and now has a net IPL income of INR 109 crores.

Following his exploits in the ICC U-19 World Cup in 2008, Ravindra Jadeja was picked up by the Rajasthan Royals for INR 12 Lakh. However, later in 2010, he was banned for violating the IPL code of conduct.

In 2011, he was picked up by now-defunct Kochi Tuskers Kerala for INR 43 lakhs. And after the franchise disbanded in 2012, CSK took Jadeja for INR 9.2 crore. In 2014, playing for CSK, his salary was increased to INR 5.5 crores and was the same amount when Gujarat Titans bought his services in 2016 when CSK was banned. In 2027, Gujarat retained him with a hike of INR 9.5 crores, but he returned to CSK in 2018 for INR 7 crores till 2021. In 2022, Jadeja stayed with the franchise for a whooping INR 16 crores ahead of the 2022 auction that will continue in 2023.

The Left-handed all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has played 215 IPL matches and has scored 2541 runs, with an average of 26.20.

Sunil Narine

KKR's go-to player, Sunil Narine, entered the 100-crore club in 2022 to become the second overseas player to earn a salary of 100 crores— with a net income of INR 107.2 crores.

The Trinidadian bowler Sunil Narine played his first IPL match in 2012 for KKR and has featured KKR for every season since 2012. Starting his IPL journey with INR 3.51 crore, Narine, with his top-quality bowling attacks with his flamboyant stroke play, saw a spike in his earnings— from 2018 to 2021, he earned Rs 12.5 crore per season.

But in 2022, that sum only reached INR 6 crore. However, after this, he breached the 100-crore mark and became the second-richest overseas player in the tournament, after RCB star AB de Villiers. In a decade-long ongoing IPL career, Narine has played 154 matches and has taken 158 wickets, with an average of 25.41, conceding nearly 6.70 runs per over.

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AB De Villiers

At the seventh spot is now retired South Africa's finest batsman, AB de Villiers, with a net IPL earning of INR 102 crores.

The finest IPL player, ABD, started his IPL journey in 2008 with the Delhi Daredevils franchise for INR 1.2 crores and played for the franchise in the first three seasons at an income of INR 1.4 and 1.3 crores. Later, in 2011, he was bought by RCB for INR 5 crores, initiating his long journey with the franchise till his retirement. As RCB's most successful batsman, he single-handedly won many matches for his team. In the 2014 IPL auction, RCB bought the South African player for INR 9.5 crores. With his consistently good performance, ABD's salary kept increasing— in 2018, RCB bought his services for INR 11 crores. He was retained in the team in 2019 and 2020 for the same price.

In 2021, RCB bought de Villiers for INR 11 crores, which marked the last season before his retirement. ABD has played 184 IPL matches and scored 5162 runs, averaging 39.70.

Gautam Gambhir

Gautam Gambhir is one of the most decorated players in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The left-handed batsman amassed a staggering ₹94.62 crores in earnings throughout his illustrious 17-year IPL career. Gambhir first debuted his IPL in 2008 for the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals). He went on to play a crucial role in the team's success over the next few seasons, emerging as one of the league's most reliable opening batsmen.

In 2011, Gambhir was bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders for ₹11.04 crores, a then-record fee for an Indian player. He justified the price tag by leading the team to IPL title victories in 2012 and 2014, scoring 3,035 runs across 122 IPL innings at an average of 31.77 and a strike rate of 124.23 during his time with KKR. Gambhir's performances and leadership helped establish Kolkata Knight Riders as one of the IPL's dominant franchises in the early 2010s. After leaving KKR in 2018, he had stints with the Delhi Daredevils and the defending champions Mumbai Indians before announcing his retirement from the IPL in 2019.

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Shikhar Dhawan

Veteran opener Shikhar Dhawan is one of the highest-earning players in the history of the Indian Premier League, having accumulated a staggering ₹91.8 crores throughout his IPL career. Dhawan first entered the IPL in 2008, representing the Deccan Chargers. He became a vital part of their batting lineup, emerging as one of the consistent run-getters in the league. In 2013, he was purchased by the Sunrisers Hyderabad for ₹5.5 crores.

Dhawan's performances only improved after that, and he cemented his reputation as one of the most reliable opening batters in the IPL. He was a key contributor to the Sunrisers Hyderabad's title-winning campaign 2016, scoring 501 runs at an average of 38.54.

In 2019, Dhawan was traded to the Delhi Capitals, where he has continued to deliver match-winning displays. Over the years, his consistent run-scoring, explosive starts, and experience have made him an invaluable asset for the various franchises he has represented.

Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik first entered the IPL in 2008, representing the Delhi Daredevils. Over the next decade, he went on to play for several high-profile franchises, including Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Gujarat Lions, and Kolkata Knight Riders. In 2018, Karthik was acquired by the Kolkata Knight Riders for ₹7.4 crores, cementing his status as one of the most sought-after players in the league. His leadership skills and finishing abilities made him an invaluable asset for KKR, as he helped the team reach the playoffs in 2018 and 2019.

Karthik's versatility as a wicket-keeper batsman, his experience, and his skills in pressure situations have seen him command high auction prices throughout his IPL journey. He has scored 4,453 runs at an average of 25.58 and a strike rate of 129.77 in 233 IPL matches.

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FAQs

Which board is the Indian Premier League run by?

Indian Premier League is run by the Board of Control for Cricket in India and is among the world’s highest-paid lucrative tournaments.

Name the players who have earned INR 100 crores or more in the IPL.

Here's the list of players who have earned INR 100 crores or more in the IPL:

• Rohit Sharma
• Mahendra Singh Dhoni
• Virat Kohli
• Suresh Raina
• Ravindra Jadeja
• Sunil Narine
• AB De Villiers

Sunil Narine plays international cricket for which country?

Sunil Narine is a Trinidadian cricketer who plays internationally for the West Indies.

Who has earned the most money from IPL?

Rohit Sharma has earned the most money from IPL (INR 178.6 crores).