Virat Kohli No Longer India’s Highest-Paid Cricketer, New Leader Emerges

Published On: November 29, 2024 1:50 pm

Rishabh Pant has overtaken Virat Kohli as the highest-paid Indian cricket player, owing to the IPL 2025 auction.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction’s conclusion has altered the nation’s cricketing landscape. The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) broke the previous record when they paid INR 27 crore for Rishabh Pant, while Shreyas Iyer and Venkatesh Iyer were purchased for INR 26.75 crore and 23.75 crore, respectively.

Virat Kohli was the most sought-after Indian player in terms of retention, and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) agreed to pay him INR 21 crore to retain him with the team.

Rishabh Pant is now the highest-paid Indian cricketer, solely based on cricketing earnings, after the salaries of IPL players were revealed. With his cricketing obligations, the wicket-keeper batsman makes a total of Rs. 32 crore yearly, surpassing Virat Kohli’s current earnings of INR Rs. 28 crore.

IPL contracts and the BCCI are the two revenue streams for both Pant and Kohli. With an annual salary of Rs. 5 crore from his A category BCCI central contracts and Rs. 27 crore from the IPL, Pant’s total earnings come to Rs. 32 crore.

Since Kohli is an A+ player, his earnings under the BCCI central contract total Rs. 7 crore. According to the new deal, RCB pays him Rs. 21 crore a year for participating in the IPL, bringing his total earnings to Rs. 28 crore.

However, when the new BCCI central contracts are revealed in March of the following year, Pant’s profits may rise. Given his importance to Team India’s aspirations in all three forms, Pant is most likely eligible to be elevated to the A+ category. He would significantly extend Kohli’s lead if the board took such a step.

Since he is no longer with India’s T20 team, Kohli may be downgraded to the A category of players and have his salary reduced.

Currently, neither Shreyas Iyer nor Venkatesh Iyer, the second highest earnings from the auction, are included in the BCCI central contracts. Shreyas still has a chance to be included, though, if he rejoins the Indian squad.