Top 20 Highest-paid Cricketers of IPL 2024

The IPL auction is an opportunity for teams to strengthen their squad by acquiring the top talents from around the world. This year’s IPL mini-auction held in Dubai witnessed some intense and jaw-dropping bids, with Australia’s World Cup winners clinching the highest prices. 

The IPL 2024 mini-auction was nothing short of a cricketing fest, with over 333 players, including 214 Indians and 119 overseas players going under the hammer. Left-arm fast bowler Mitchell Starc, who returned to the tournament after eight years became the highest-paid cricketer in IPL 2024 drawing a salary of ₹24.75 crores or almost $3 million. 

Let’s dive into the list of the IPL’s highest-paid players that shaped headlines and left fans anticipating the next season. 

Top 20 Highest Paid Cricketers in IPL 2024

Starc and Cummins, the Australian duo became one of the highest-paid cricketers in the history of IPL, joining the 20 crore club. Let’s take a look at the most expensive players of IPL 2024. 

Mitchell Starc- Rs. 24.75 crore

The Australian speedster, Mitchell Starc, returning to the tournament after 8 years, became the highest paid IPL player in 2024. His formidable bowling attack has earned him a whopping salary of Rs. 24.75 crore. He was bagged by Kolkata Knight Riders(KKR) largely due to his magnificent performance in the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2023. 

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Starc’s ability to swing the ball at a fast pace will add much-needed firepower to KKR’s bowling attack. 

Pat Cummins- Rs. 20.50 crores

Not that far behind his former teammate, Pat Cummins becomes the second highest paid cricketer in IPL 2024 securing a contract of Rs. 20.50 crores. The Australian skipper was bagged by Sunrisers Hyderabad who will benefit greatly from Cummins’ leadership capabilities and all-rounder prowess. 

Sam Curran- Rs. 18.5 crores

Sam Curran was the highest paid player in the 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League. Although he was dethroned by Starc, he is still not very far behind. The English All-rounder takes the third spot of the most expensive player in IPL 2024, clinching a salary of Rs. 18.5 crores. 

He was bagged by Punjab Kings and will be a force to be reckoned with his explosive batting and wicket-taking abilities. 

Cameron Green- Rs. 17.5 crore

Cameron Green is yet another Australian player who boasts a significant contract of Rs. 17.5 crore. He was bought by Mumbai Indians(MI) in the previous season but was traded with Royal Challengers Bangalore(RCB) in IPL 2024. The tall all-rounder is well-versed in hitting big shots with the bat and bagging wickets with the ball, making him a great addition to the Bangalore squad. 

KL Rahul- Rs. 17 crore

India’s diverse batsman and Lucknow Supergiant’s skipper KL Rahul is not far behind the Aussies. He is the fifth most expensive player in IPL 2024, bagging a salary of Rs. 17 crore. While he may have hit a slump in the World Cup season, his prowess with the bat and clutch potential is well-known. 

We expect great things from LSG’s captain in this season of IPL

Rohit Sharma- Rs. 16 crore

Rohit ‘The Hitman’ Sharma comes in at sixth place in the IPL highest paid player list. While he might not be the captain of Mumbai Indians anymore, he still managed to bag a salary of Rs. 16 crore, mainly due to his reputation and batting prowess. With the ability to win matches single-handedly and crumbling entire bowling lineups, Sharma is the backbone of the Mumbai squad and the IPL captain with the most trophy wins. 

With the burden of captaincy off his shoulders, we are eager to see how the ‘Hitman’ will lead his team to victories. 

Ravindra Jadeja- Rs. 16 crore

Versatile all-rounder ‘Sir Ravindra Jadeja’ is in the seventh spot with a salary of Rs. 16 crore. He was retained by Chennai Super Kings as he is a pivotal cog in that well-oiled machine. CSK is one of the most successful franchises, largely due to Jadeja’s all-rounder prowess. 

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With a solid grasp on the ball and the ability to strike hard with the bat, Ravindra Jadeja draws more salary than CSK’s captain MS Dhoni. 

Rishabh Pant- Rs. 16 crore

Dynamic wicket keeper and batsman Rishabh Pant secures the eighth position with a whopping salary of Rs. 1 crore. Pant, who is recovering from a horrific car accident, will be making his return on the field as the captain of Delhi Capitals. 

Pant’s explosive skills with the bat and presence of mind behind the wickets made him a sought-after name in the IPL franchise and we are excited to see him return on the ground. 

Andre Russell- Rs. 16 crore

West Indies powerhouse Andre Russell is the ninth most expensive IPL 2024 player with a whopping salary of Rs. 16 crore. The all-rounder has the ability to turn the tide of matches with his explosive batting and swift bowling skills. In the past, he has been an integral part of the Kolkata Knight Riders squad, having played many innings and leading them to victory. 

Nicholas Pooran- Rs. 16 crore

West Indies batsman Nicholas Pooran comes in at the tenth spot. He was bagged by Lucknow Supergiants and commands a salary of Rs. 16 crore. Pooran is a left-handed wicket keeper and batsman whose aggressive batting style is very sought after in the T20 format. With a solid track record in T20 innings, he will be a valuable asset to KL Rahul-led LSG. 

Ishan Kishan- Rs. 15.25 crore

Ishan Kishan, an explosive top-order batsman rose to fame when Mumbai Indians picked him in the 2018 IPL season. Since then, he had several good seasons and made a breakthrough in the 2020 IPL where he was awarded for ‘hitting the most sixes in the tournament’ that year. He became one of the best paid players in the 2024 Indian Premier League after being retained by the Mumbai Indians for a cool Rs. 15.25 crore.

Hardik Pandya- Rs. 15 crore

Hardik Pandya, the explosive heavy hitter was the captain of the finalist Gujarat Titans in the previous season of IPL. However, in an exciting turn of events, he was bought by Mumbai Indians for a whopping Rs. 15 crores, making him one of the IPL’s highest-paid players. He will be replacing Rohit Sharma as the captain of the ‘Blue’ squad, which fans are not very happy about. 

With mixed reactions from fans, Pandya is all set to lead his team to yet another trophy win. 

Rashid Khan- Rs. 15 crore

Arguably the best leg-spinner in white ball cricket, Rashid Khan makes it to the list with a whopping salary of Rs. 16 crore. Hailing from war-torn Afghanistan, Rashid rose through the ranks in his country and made it to IPL in 2017. 

His mastery with the ball and some amazing spells that toppled entire batting orders made him one of the most sought-after players in the Indian Premier League. He was retained by the Gujarat Titans and is definitely a threat to other teams. 

Virat Kohli- Rs. 15 crore

The former captain of the Indian team and RCB squad, Virat Kohli bagged a salary of Rs. 15 crores from his long-term team Royal Challengers Bangalore. The ‘Run Machine’ is one of the most successful players in the history of cricket and needs no introduction. 

He has been playing with the RCB squad since 2008 and became the skipper in the year 2013. Kohli has been dominant in his IPL journey and was the highest paid IPL player until 2022. 

Daryl Mitchell- Rs. 14 crore

New Zealand’s batting sensation Daryl Mitchell impressed everyone in the 2023 ICC Men’s ODI World Cup, smashing 552 runs at an average of 69. Mitchell, who played for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2022, was picked by Chennai Super Kings, who paid Rs. 14 crore for the right-handed Kiwi batsman. 

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Mitchell’s consistency and batting prowess will be something to watch in this IPL season. 

Sanju Samson- Rs. 14 crore

Sanju Samson rose to fame as a rising newcomer in his debut IPL match for Rajasthan Royals. He joined Delhi Daredevils(Delhi Capitals) quad in 2016 and played some important innings for two seasons before moving back to Rajasthan Royals.

He was named the captain of the Rajasthan squad in the 2021 season and has been leading the pack since then. The skipper was retained by RR for a whopping salary of Rs. 14 crore. 

Deepak Chahar- Rs. 14 crore

Deepak Chahar is a crucial bowler for the CSK squad who led them to victory in the previous IPL season. The medium-pace swing bowler plays as a regular in the T20 Indian national team and is the first Indian male cricketer to scalp a hat-trick in T20 Internationals. 

He was retained by Chennai Super Kings for a sum of Rs. 14 crores, making him one of the highest paid IPL Indian players in 2024. It will be exciting to see how Chahar’s bowling spell will help CSK defend their trophy in IPL 2024. 

Shreyas Iyer- Rs. 12.25 crore

Shreyas Iyer made it to the list of the highest paid IPL players in 2024 with a jaw-dropping salary of Rs. 12.25 crore. Iyer is probably one of the most consistent players in the last couple of years. He is in great form, having scored 2 centuries in the 2023 ICC Men’s World Cup. 

He will be leading Kolkata Knight Riders to glory in the 2024 IPL season. 

Jasprit Bumrah- Rs. 12 crore

Making it on this IPL highest paid players list is India’s no.1 bowler across all formats, Jasprit Bumrah. He has been rising ever since its debut and is now the Vice-captain of India’s national Test team. 

The speedster who is deadly with the ball will be lending his skills to Mumbai Indians, helping them reach the top once more. He was retained by MI for a salary of Rs. 12 crore. 

MS Dhoni- Rs. 12 crore

MS Dhoni is one of the most successful IPL captains and national team captains in the world. He has led the Chennai Super Kings to victory five times ever since his debut in 2008. Undoubtedly, he is one of the first players to be retained by CSK for a salary of Rs. 12 crore. 

Even though MS Dhoni has hung up its boots for the Indian national team, he continues to be a part of IPL and is one of the primary forces that drives the success of CSK. 

Final Words

Here is the complete list of the highest paid cricketers in IPL 2024. The 2024 season of IPL is all set to begin on March 22, 2024, and will end on May 29, 2024, enthralling cricket fans all across the globe. This IPL season will be sponsored by TATA and organized by BCCI. So, gear up for over two months on non-stop cricketing action where we will undoubtedly witness some fine matches and spectacular innings.