Rishabh Pant has surpassed Virat Kohli to become the highest-paid Indian cricketer after being bought by Lucknow Super Giants for a record INR 27 crore at the IPL 2025 auction. This move makes him the most expensive player in IPL history, surpassing Mitchell Starc’s INR 24.75 crore record from the 2024 auction. Pant’s earnings now total INR 30 crore annually, including his BCCI Grade B contract worth INR 3 crore.
Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer, despite not having a BCCI contract, has earned more than both Rohit Sharma and Jasprit Bumrah. Iyer was acquired by Punjab Kings for INR 26.75 crore, making him the second most expensive player in IPL history. Rohit Sharma, retained by Mumbai Indians for INR 16.30 crore, trails behind in earnings, while Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja each earn INR 25 crore, following their IPL retentions.
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Pant’s rise to the top comes after a period of recovery from a car accident that led to his demotion to Grade B. He is expected to be promoted back to Grade A or A+ in the next BCCI contract announcement in March.