IPL 2025: Top 15 players with highest salaries

Six players have a salary of more than INR 20 crores in IPL 2025.

Over the years, cricket talent has met its highest value during the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction. At every IPL auction, a few cricket players have drawn incredible bids.

Five cricket players made it into the top 10 most expensive signings in IPL history at the IPL 2025 mega-auction, which took place at the Abady Al-Johar Arena in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The IPL 2025 mega-auction saw 10 franchises bidding for top players from a pool of 577 cricketers, which included 367 Indian and 210 overseas players.

At ₹27 crore, Rishabh Pant became the most expensive player in IPL history, but Jos Buttler, the great batsman for England, was the most expensive foreign player in IPL 2025.

Meanwhile, there were players who received more money for being retained by their franchise than a few players in the IPL 2025 auction. So today, we will see the top 15 players with the highest salaries in IPL 2025, including the players who were retained.

Top 15 players with highest salaries in IPL 2025 (All amount in INR):

15. Yashasvi Jaiswal (RR) – 18 crores

The young Yashasvi Jaiswal was a find of the Rajasthan Royals, who bought him at the IPL 2020 auction. Since then, Jaiswal has become the first-choice opener for the RR franchise and played a huge role in their success in recent times. His standout season for RR was in IPL 2023, when he made 625 runs with 1 century and 5 half-centuries with a strike rate of 163.31.

Hence, he was retained by the franchise for a huge sum of INR 18 crores, which is his salary for the season.

14. Sanju Samson (RR) – 18 crores

The captain of the Rajasthan Royals (RR), Sanju Samson, was the first person retained by the franchise ahead of the IPL 2025 mega-auction. Sanju Samson has been with the RR franchise since the 2018 IPL, which is his second stint with the team. Samson took over as RR captain in IPL 2021 from Steve Smith and has done wonders with the side.

13. Ravindra Jadeja (CSK) – 18 crores

The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) veteran Ravindra Jadeja was retained by the franchise ahead of the IPL 2025 mega-auction for INR 18 crores. He was retained alongside Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, MS Dhoni, and MAtheesha Pathirana. This was an INR 2 crore bump from the IPL 2022 mega auction, where he was retained for INR 16 crores.

12. Ruturaj Gaikwad (CSK) – 18 crores

The captain of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Ruturaj Gaikwad, was trusted for his abilities despite a poor IPL 2024 season as the leader. CSK won seven games and lost seven, including the virtual eliminator to RCB as well. But CSK showed faith in Gaikwad and retained him for INR 18 crores.

However, his campaign was cut-short due to an elbow injury in the tournament.

11. Rashid Khan (GT) – 18 crores

Rashid Khan was retained for INR 18 crores by Gujarat Titans amidst reports of him wanting to go into the IPL 2025 mega auction. Rashid was paid more than captain Shubman Gill, and the Afghan star is the vice-captain of the franchise as well. He has been with the GT side since IPL 2022 when they won the title.

10. Jasprit Bumrah (MI) – 18 crores

Jasprit Bumrah was retained for INR 18 crores by Mumbai Indians (MI) after their five retained players consulted amongst themselves. MI also retained Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, and Hardik Pandya. The players decided that Jasprit Bumrah should get the most money for retention.

9. Pat Cummins (SRH) – 18 crores

Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) redefined the batting and the bowling in IPL in the 2024 edition as Pat Cummins led them to the final for the third time since the 2018 tournament. SRH dominated the batting charts, and the bowlers complimented the batters as well.

Pat Cummins’ captaincy was wildly lauded, and he was retained by SRH for INR 18 crores, though he was bought for INR 20.75 crores at the IPL 2024 auction.

8. Yuzvendra Chahal (PBKS) – 18 crores

Yuzvendra Chahal was not retained by Rajasthan Royals (RR) before the IPL 2025 auction. The leg spinner has fallen on hard times when it comes to India appearances, as Kuldeep Yadav has become the go-to wrist spinner for Men in Blue. However, in the IPL 2025 auction, Punjab Kings went all-out for Chahal as their premier spinner and pounced on him for INR 18 crores.

7. Arshdeep Singh (PBKS) – 18 crores

Arshdeep Singh was not retained by the Punjab Kings franchise, despite being their premier pacer for the past two to three seasons. Instead, he went into the IPL 2025 auction, and PBKS used their RTM card to buy back the left-arm pacer.

PBKS shelled out INR 18 crores to buy back Arshdeep, which is his salary for the season.

6. Virat Kohli (RCB) – 21 crores

The icon of the IPL franchise Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), Virat Kohli, was retained by them for INR 21 crores, along with Rajat Patidar and Yash Dayal. Kohli had an amazing IPL 2024, where he won the Orange Cap with 741 runs in 15 games with a best of 113* and an average of 61.75. He had a strike rate of 154.69 and hit 38 sixes and 62 fours.

Kohli has played only for RCB since his debut in the IPL in 2008.

5. Nicholas Pooran (LSG) – 21 crores

Nicolas Pooran was retained by the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for a whopping amount of INR 21 crores. The keeper-batter had shown that he could be extremely dangerous down the order, as he scored 499 runs in 14 games in the IPL 2024 season. His average was 62.37, and his strike rate was 162.29, as he hit 36 sixes that season. Hence, he was paid such handsome fees as retention.

4. Heinrich Klaasen (SRH) – 23 crores

Heinrich Klaasen redefined aggressive batting in T20s for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in the IPL. He scored 448 and 479 runs for SRH in the IPL 2023 and 2024 seasons. His strike rates were over 170 in both seasons, and he has scored one century and six fifties. He has also hit 63 sixes and 51 fours.

For that reason, SRH retained Klaasen at a hefty sum of INR 23 crores prior to the mega auction.

3. Venkatesh Iyer (KKR) – 23.75 crores

Venkatesh Iyer was not retained by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) before the IPL 2025. Iyer went into the auction, and KKR instead paid INR 23.75 crore using the RTM card to buy him back. He has been with the KKR team since IPL 2021.

2. Shreyas Iyer (PBKS) – 26.75 crores

One of the biggest buys and the first player ever to cross the INR 25 crores mark at the IPL auction history, Shreyas Iyer was bought for INR 26.75 crores by the Punjab Kings. PBKS were rebuilding their unit from scratch, and they went all out for the IPL 2024 winning captain, Shreyas Iyer, as they needed someone good to take them into the future.

1. Rishabh Pant (LSG) – 27 crores

Rishabh Pant was bought by the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for an eye-watering INR 27 crores at the IPL 2025 mega auction. Pant and Delhi Capitals had mutually parted ways after IPL 2024, as DC were not ready to continue with Pant as captain. Instead, the keeper-batter tried his luck in the auction, and fate smiled on him generously.

Rishabh Pant was also made LSG captain owing to his good record in the IPL. He played eight seasons with DC before switching to LSG.

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