IPL 2023: Players with highest salaries in the tournament

Teams have broken the bank to secure the services of these players for IPL 2023.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) is one of the most popular and lucrative T20 cricket leagues in the world. The league attracts top cricketing talent from around the globe, who are paid massive salaries to represent their respective teams. 

Every year, cricket enthusiasts eagerly await the IPL auctions to see which players were picked and who landed the biggest deals. The excitement reached new heights in the IPL 2023 mini-auction, with players like Sam Curran, Cameron Green, and Ben Stokes generating significant buzz.

Apart from the players who are bought during the IPL auction, there are also players who are retained by their teams at a significant price. The following is the comprehensive list of players who are receiving the highest salaries in IPL 2023.

10 - Virat Kohli - 15 Crores

Virat Kohli has been retained by Royal Challengers Bangalore for Rs. 15 crore ahead of the 16th season of the Indian Premier League. Despite a mediocre performance in the 2022 season, Kohli regained his form and scored a century in every format in international cricket, breaking his century drought.

He also scored a century against Australia in the recently concluded Border Gavaskar Trophy and a century against New Zealand in the ODI series. In addition, he scored his first century in T20I last year. Kohli's excellent form is a promising sign for RCB fans, who are hoping that he and his team will finally lift their first-ever IPL title.

9 - Hardik Pandya - 15 Crores

After being released by Mumbai before the 2022 mega auction, Hardik was drafted in by Gujarat for Rs 15 cr and was appointed as the captain. The gifted cricketer demonstrated excellent leadership skills, leading Gujarat to the championship in their maiden attempt. The all-rounder was retained at the same price by Gujarat Titans this year.

He performed brilliantly by scoring 487 runs in 15 games and playing a vital role with the ball. Hardik's decision to bowl in the powerplay led to his team taking wickets in the powerplay. He also played an important role in the series against Australia in March 2023, and he will look to maintain his form for this year's IPL.

8 - Ishan Kishan - 15.25 Crores

Ishan Kishan, who was released by Mumbai Indians after the 2021 IPL season, was bought back by the team for a staggering amount of Rs 15.25 Cr in the 2022 IPL mega auction, which was the highest bid in the auction.

However, Kishan failed to perform up to expectations in the 2022 season. Despite his below-par performance, Mumbai Indians have decided to retain him for the upcoming 2023 season, hoping that he will turn his luck around this time. In 2022 he smashed a double hundred against Bangladesh.

7 - Rohit Sharma - 16 Crores

Mumbai Indians have retained Rohit Sharma for Rs 16 Cr as their captain for the upcoming IPL season. Sharma has led the team to win five IPL titles in the past, making him an important asset for MI. After a disappointing performance last year, the team is hoping to turn their fortunes around, and Sharma's leadership and aggressive style of play will be crucial in achieving this.

In recent years, he has adapted his playing style to focus on quick and aggressive scoring, making him an excellent opening batsman for the team. He also had a good time with his bat in the recently concluded Border Gavaskar Trophy.

6 - Nicholas Pooran - 16 Crores

Nicholas Pooran was a surprise pick in the IPL 2023 mini-auction, joining Lucknow Super Giants for Rs 16 Cr, making him the fourth-costliest pick.

Despite his below-par performance in the past two IPL seasons, LSG's mentor Gautam Gambhir praised his abilities and impact on the game. Pooran's signing will likely lead to changes in the middle order for LSG, who made it to the playoffs in their debut IPL season last year.

5 - Ravindra Jadeja - 16 Crores

CSK has retained Jadeja for a whopping Rs. 16 Cr. Despite being appointed as the captain of CSK during IPL 2022, Jadeja had a poor season with both bat and ball, leading to the team's early struggles with six losses in their first eight matches.

As a result, he stepped down from his captaincy to focus on his individual performance, allowing Dhoni to resume his role as captain. Later, Jadeja suffered an injury and was ruled out of remainder of IPL 2022, again during the Asia Cup in August 2022 he suffered knee injury, and underwent surgery for the same. However, he made a remarkable comeback last month to play against Australia in the Border Gavaskar Trophy and was awarded the Man of the Series title.

4 - Ben Stokes - 16.25 Crores

CSK secured the services of Ben Stokes for Rs. 16.25 Cr during the IPL 2023 mini-auction. Stokes piqued the interest of several teams following his crucial contribution as an all-rounder in England's successful T20 World Cup campaign last year.

This acquisition makes Stokes the most expensive player ever for CSK, surpassing Deepak Chahar's record. Stokes is set to make a comeback in the IPL with the upcoming season. Rajasthan Royals released him prior to the 2022 mega auction, and he ultimately decided not to participate in that season. Apart from the Royals, Stokes has also played for Rising Pune Supergiants.

3 - KL Rahul - 17 Crores

KL Rahul, one of the finest batters, was selected by Lucknow Super Giants as their captain in the draft for 17 Cr. He led his new team to the playoffs in their debut season and scored 616 runs.

However, his form declined in international cricket after the IPL. In the ongoing season, he aims to maintain his excellent IPL form and contribute to his team's success.

2 - Cameron Green - 17.5 Crores

After being bought by MI for Rs 17.50 Cr, the 23-year-old Australian cricket prodigy became the second-highest earner in a single IPL auction. In 2022, he was given the chance to open the innings for Australia, which unveiled his extremely aggressive batting technique.

With two T20I half-centuries under his belt, both obtained while playing against India in India and a century achieved in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy, we are excited to witness how Green will employ this remarkable form during his debut season in the IPL.

1 - Sam Curran - 18.5 Crores

The English bowling all-rounder, who played a key role in winning the 2022 T20 World Cup for his country and was named player of the tournament, attracted a lot of attention at the IPL mini-auction.

He was bought by Punjab Kings for a record-breaking Rs 18.5 Cr, making him the most expensive player ever bought in the history of the IPL auction. This is the 2nd time he will be playing for Punjab kings after playing for them in the 2019 season.

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