Complete list of Highest Paid and the Most Expensive Players in IPL Auction History from 2008-2022, From MS Dhoni to Virat Kohli
The Indian Premier League has unquestionably transformed cricket since its start in 2008, making it the most prominent cricketing tournament in the world. Moreover, it has given this sport a much-needed financial boost. Compared to the richest leagues in the world, like the NBA and Premier League, the IPL has outperformed all expectations in the business world.
It has made the sport more well-known and given athletes much-needed financial stability. Even without competing for their nation in international cricket, players are already making millions. Talent demands chance, and the Indian Premier League has offered that much-needed platform.
Highest Paid Players in IPL
Since the IPL’s first season in 2008, when Mahendra Singh Dhoni earned the maximum payment of 6 crores, which is now the standard pay for any potential cricketer, the League has seen a significant transformation. A stunning INR 14 crores were paid to rookie players like Jhyle Richardson last season, even though he seldom ever plays for his country’s team. The top 10 cricketers have earned massive money in the IPL since the 1st season.
Virat Kohli

There should be no surprise that King Kohli is ranked first on this list. In addition to having a solid brand in cricket, Virat Kohli also puts up exemplary performances there. Due to his standing in the sporting and business worlds, he can bring in money to any team worth twice as much as his pay. In the IPL, he has a long-standing, trust-worthy relationship with Royal Challengers Bangalore, who bought him in the 2008 auctions under the young player category.
The symbol of the Bangalore squad, Virat Kohli, has never previously participated in an auction. However, he was signed by Royal Challengers Bangalore for an all-time high of INR 17 crores in 2018, making him the highest-paid cricketer ever. Before the 2022 season, Royal Challengers Bangalore again retained Kohli, but he has accepted a pay drop to 15 Crores this time.
MATCHES | RUNS | STRIKE RATE | 100s/50s | Wickets |
207 | 6283 | 129.95 | 05/42 | 4 |
KL Rahul

KL It was natural that Lucknow was desperate to name Rahul their captain for their inaugural season because he had amassed the most runs in the IPL from 2018 to 2021. In 2021, Rahul resigned from Kings XI Punjab and accepted the rich offer from the Lucknow team. He entered into a contract worth a whopping INR 17 Crores, making him the second-highest-paid player in the IPL 2022.
Rahul is one of the T20 format’s prolific run scorers, and every side aspires to have a player who can provide them with 600 runs each season. So expectations for him to extend his IPL dream run and lead the Lucknow team to a dream start in IPL 2022 will be pretty high now that he is poised to do so.
MATCHES | RUNS | STRIKE RATE | 100s/50s | Wickets |
94 | 3273 | 136.68 | 02/27 | 0 |
Chris Morris

Chris Morris recently declared his retirement from cricket. Still, in 2021, when Rajasthan Royals purchased him for an astounding INR 16.25 Crores, he smashed all auction records and became the highest-paid cricketer of that auction. In 2020, he played for Royal Challengers Bangalore and excelled at bowling and batting.
Everyone was stunned when RCB decided to release him before the 2021 auctions. The Rajasthan Royals saw this as their most excellent chance to partner Chris Morris with Jofra Archer to create a first-rate bowling department, so they purchased Chris Morris. Morris performed admirably in the first half but utterly failed in the leg in the UAE. Although he is retired, his three-dimensional feats of courage on the cricket pitch will live in legend.
Chris Morris IPL Stats
MATCHES | RUNS | STRIKE RATE | 100s/50s | Wickets |
81 | 618 | 155.28 | 0/02 | 95 |
Yuvraj Singh

The last few years, when organizations had large prizes relative to previous seasons, have seen the highest earnings for nearly every player on this list. However, Yuvraj Singh secured a contract for INR 16 crores a month with Delhi Daredevils, which is sufficient to demonstrate the strength of the Kings. Throughout his entire IPL career, Yuvraj didn’t have the best of luck, but he always had the luxury of lucrative contracts from IPL franchises.
In 2015, he broke his previous record of 14.25 Crores from the 2014 season and took the title of the highest-paid cricketer in IPL history for the second straight year. Delhi Daredevils and Royal Challengers Bangalore engaged in a fierce bidding war. Still, Gary Kirsten was adamant about getting his X-Factor on board and won the deal for an enormous INR 16 Crores.
Yuvraj Singh IPL Stats
MATCHES | RUNS | STRIKE RATE | 100s/50s | Wickets |
132 | 2750 | 129.72 | 0/13 | 36 |
Rohit Sharma

The only player to win the IPL six times and five times while serving as captain is Rohit Sharma, often known as “Hitman.” Since joining the Mumbai Indians for the 2011 season, he has been brilliant as both a captain and a batter. Only a few young players under his leadership, including Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya, and Ishan Kishan, went on to achieve greatness.
Mumbai Indians considered his retention before the 2022 auctions merely a formality but expressed concern because he is 34 years old and approaching the 30-year-old mark. However, he has again been supported by the management of the Mumbai Indians, who signed him for INR 16 crores, making him the fifth-highest-paid cricketer in the IPL.
Rohit Sharma IPL Stats
MATCHES | RUNS | STRIKE RATE | 100s/50s | Wickets |
214 | 5611 | 130.4 | 01/40 | 15 |
Ravindra Jadeja

The next name on this list is Sir Jadeja, whose 16 Crores unquestionably validates the talisman’s skill. The all-rounder, born in Rajkot, is among the most productive players in all categories and one of the select few cricketers worldwide who can alter the outcome of a game with both bat and ball.
He began his professional career with Rajasthan Royals, with whom he won the illustrious IPL championship in 2008. However, since 2012, he has been the focal point of the Chennai Super Kings. He was kept by the Chennai franchise in 2014 and 2018, but in 2022 they surprised everyone by giving him the top retention place. For INR 16 Crores, he was kept on instead of MS Dhoni and is likely to succeed him if Dhoni bids adieu to the Chennai locker room.
Ravindra Jadeja IPL Stats
MATCHES | RUNS | STRIKE RATE | 100s/50s | Wickets |
200 | 2386 | 128.14 | 0/02 | 127 |
Rishabh Pant

One of Indian cricket’s brightest players, Rishabh Pant, began his IPL career in 2016 with the Delhi team. Since his debut, he has been an essential member of the Delhi team, and they even paid him $8 million to stay with them for the 2018 season.
He is an essential part of the Indian team and has a high market value in all formats. Rishabh played up until the 2020 season. However, in 2021 he has promoted to captain the Delhi Capitals squad. Under his leadership, Delhi won the League and came close to making the playoffs. Therefore, the Delhi team has decided to keep Rishabh on board for INR 16 crores, making him the sixth-highest-paid cricketer in IPL history.
Rishabh Pant IPL Stats
MATCHES | RUNS | STRIKE RATE | 100s/50s | Wickets |
84 | 2498 | 147.46 | 01/15 | 0 |
Pat Cummins

One of the world’s most terrifying bowlers, Pat Cummins, has long dominated international cricket. He has held the top spot among Test bowlers for more than 900 days. For the 2020 season, Pat Cummins, who played for Kolkata Knight Riders in 2014, was the top target in the 2020 auction pool because Brendon McCullum’s team required a strike bowler.
Brendon McCullum finally acquired his target for a record 15.5 Crores after a protracted bidding conflict with Royal Challengers Bangalore, making him the highest-paid player of that IPL season and ranking seventh all-time. Although he didn’t meet expectations, management chose to keep him for the 2021 season, when he had a respectable performance. Hence, his name will be up for grabs in the upcoming auctions.
Pat Cummins IPL Stats
MATCHES | WICKETS | AVERAGE | ECONOMY | BEST |
42 | 45 | 140.44 | 8.54 | 4/34 |
Kyle Jamieson

Kyle Jamieson’s career-launching demolition of India in 2020 announced his entry onto the international stage. On India’s tour of New Zealand in January 2020, he displayed hints of his all-around talent, and Virat Kohli set his sights on signing him to the RCB team for the IPL.
For a record INR 15 Crores, Royal Challengers Bangalore acquired their man in auctions, and Mike Hesson, a fellow countryman, is thought to have been a significant factor in his hiring. He didn’t have the ideal rookie season, but he did display some of his actual skill. He is scheduled to appear in auctions in 2022 and would also expect a high sum this year.
Kyle Jamieson IPL Stats
MATCHES | WICKETS | 29.88 | ECONOMY | BEST |
9 | 9 | 118.18 | 9.60 | 3/41 |
Glenn Maxwell
Glenn Maxwell has earned enormous sums of money from IPL franchises since making his debut in the 2012 season, earning the moniker “million-dollar baby” in the Australian team’s locker room. Since then, he has participated in the IPL for four different organizations, and his income has skyrocketed each time.
He hasn’t lived up to expectations in the IPL, but Royal Challengers Bangalore took a chance and paid a hefty INR 14.25 crores to get him in 2021. He proved everyone wrong by leading RCB to the playoffs by producing a season that set a record. He was one of the highest-paid players in the IPL after being retained by management for the first time in his career for 11 Crores as a result of last season’s performance.

Glenn Maxwell IPL Stats
MATCHES | RUNS | STRIKE RATE | 100s/50s | Wickets |
97 | 2018 | 151.84 | 0/12 | 22 |
Top 25 Highest Paid Players in IPL from 2008-2022
S NO | PLAYER NAME | TEAM | YEAR | PRICE IN INR |
1 | Jaydev Unadkat | Rajasthan Royals | 2018 | 11.50 Cr |
2 | Mayank Agarwal | Punjab Kings | 2022 | 12 Cr |
3 | Jasprit Bumrah | Mumbai Indians | 2022 | 12 Cr |
4 | Andre Russel | Kolkata Knight Riders | 2022 | 12 Cr |
5 | Tymal Mills | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 2017 | 12 Cr |
6 | David Warner | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 2019 | 12 Cr |
7 | Steve Smith | Rajasthan Royals | 2019 | 12 Cr |
8 | Dinesh Karthik | Delhi Daredevils | 2014 | 12.50 Cr |
9 | Kane Williamson | Sunrisers Hyderabad | 2022 | 14 Cr |
10 | Sanju Samson | Rajasthan Royals | 2022 | 14 Cr |
11 | Jhye Richardson | Punjab Kings | 2021 | 14 Cr |
12 | Glenn Maxwell | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 2021 | 14.25 Cr |
13 | Ben Stokes | Rising Pune Supergiants | 2017 | 14.5 Cr |
14 | MS Dhoni | Chennai Super Kings | 2018 | 15 Cr |
15 | Kyle Jamieson | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 2021 | 15 Cr |
16 | Rashid Khan | Gujarat Titans | 2022 | 15 Cr |
17 | Hardik Pandya | Gujarat Titans | 2022 | 15 Cr |
18 | Pat Cummins | Kolkata Knight Riders | 2020 | 15.5 Cr |
19 | Yuvraj Singh | Delhi Daredevils | 2015 | 16 Cr |
20 | Ravindra Jadeja | Chennai Super Kings | 2022 | 16 Cr |
21 | Rishab Pant | Delhi Capitals | 2022 | 16 Cr |
22 | Rohit Sharma | Mumbai Indians | 2022 | 16 Cr |
23 | Chris Morris | Rajasthan Royals | 2021 | 16.25 Cr |
24 | Virat Kohli | Royal Challengers Bangalore | 2018 | 17 Cr |
25 | KL Rahul | Lucknow Super Giants | 2022 | 17 Cr |