A sport as old as human history, perhaps, but has a recorded history since the late 16th century. Cricket originated in South East England, and by the 18th century, it was an established sport in the country. The 19th and 20th centuries saw the sport develop globally, with international matches being played. Cricket is the world’s second most popular spectator sport after football.
The 20th-century growth of international cricket began when the Imperial Cricket Conference was founded in 1909 with England, Australia, and South Africa as its founding members. In 1989, the ICC renamed itself the International Cricket Council. Over the years, many more countries joined, with Afghanistan and Ireland becoming the latest members in 2018, bringing the total number of full members to 12.
Over the years, the game has changed and evolved from the Test Matches of the earliest days to One Day Matches, Twenty20 Matches, etc. Cricket has assumed various formats which have continued to be a major competitive sport in most of the former British Empire countries, especially the Indian Subcontinent.
The formation of the Twenty20 leagues in India—the unofficial Indian Cricket League and the official Indian Premiere League—has raised much speculation about the sport’s future. The game, however, continues to enjoy enormous popularity with in-person matches and television audiences.
As the game gained popularity over the years, it attracted more and more investments from the government and then from the private corporate sector. This also ensured that the players got better remuneration as time progressed. Today, cricket players earn big money from not only the structure of international cricket but even privately run cricket leagues.
Earning Avenues for Cricket Players
Indian cricket players earn a fixed annual salary from the Board of Control for Cricket in India(BCCI) depending on seniority, play competency, and other parameters as decided by the board’s grading system. This salary goes a long way in ensuring that the players make this game their primary concern. Apart from this, they also get paid per match, depending on the type of match. There are various other avenues of income for cricket players.
Avenues During an Active Cricket Career
Advertising
Indian Cricketers’ Brand Endorsements – Earning Avenues for Cricketers
As popular as the sport is in the Indian subcontinent, the high-ranked Indian players are in demand in the advertising world. They are offered advertising campaigns by some of the top-rated brands and earn big money for them. These brand endorsements could be television ads, magazine ads, billboard campaigns, etc.
Some famous names in the cricket world are associated with some of the biggest names in the business world as brand ambassadors. Virat Kohli endorses Sun Pharma’s Volini Gel, Hero MotoCorp, Google Duo, Vivo, Myntra, Bluestar, and many more. Jaspreet Bumrah is the brand ambassador for boAt, Unix, Dream 11, Seagram’s Royal Stag, OnePlus Wearables, and others. Rohit Sharma endorses Adidas, La Liga, Financepeer, Dr. Trust, and more.
Sponsorships
In cricket, sponsorship is a marketing tool. Players get paid huge amounts of money to be seen using a particular brand, in effect, endorsing it. Cricket Players especially get highly paid for bat sponsorships, T-shirt sponsorships, athletic shoe sponsorships, helmets, knee & elbow pad sponsorships, etc. Every brand that these players are seen using receives a sales boost due to those sponsorships. And the players, in return, receive huge payouts for it.
Playing for Private Enterprises
How IPL pay to Cricketers?
Private Cricket Leagues like IPL and other brands pay large amounts of money to cricket players to play for them. IPL, for example, holds auctions for cricket players to be bought out by various teams registered with them. The better the player, the larger the payout.
Performance-Based Bonuses
Cricket players also earn money through performance-based bonuses, which reward them for outstanding match performances. These bonuses are given for achievements like Man of the Match awards, Man of the Series awards, and more. Such incentives encourage players to excel, as better performance leads to higher earnings beyond their contract salary.
Social Media and Digital Content
Cricket players, with millions of followers on Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube, have a powerful online presence. They earn through brand partnerships, sponsored posts, live streams, and collaborations. Brands pay well for exposure to their vast fan base, making social media a significant income source. This digital influence boosts their earnings while keeping them connected with fans.
Indian Cricket Players Turned Coaches – Kapil Dev, Ravi Shastri, Rahul Dravid (left to right)
Once a cricket player retires from active playing, there is a multitude of things that he/she can do to open doors for a regular income. One of those things is relying on years of training and playing and using that skill to train upcoming talent. They may join a cricket academy to coach an entire team or take on personal coaching assignments. In any case, these engagements are high-paying and assure a regular source of income. Well-known retired cricket players like Robin Singh, Manoj Prabhakar, Venkatapathy Raju, and S. Sriram have taken assignments to coach international teams. Other prominent Indian national Cricket team coaches include Kapil Dev, Ravi Shastri, Rahul Dravid, and more.
Commentators
A financially lucrative and attractive assignment to take is that of a cricket commentator. Ex-players get signed on by popular sports channels as commentators during matches. Some famous names in the commentary are Ravi Shastri, Sunil Gavaskar, Mohinder Amarnath, and Mohammad Azharuddin.
Many ex-cricket players own successful business ventures that have become their primary source of income post-retirement. The salaries and payouts that players receive are usually invested in various ventures or to start a new business themselves. Known as a serial entrepreneur, Kapil Dev is the most famous name in Indian Cricket. Post-retirement this dynamic man owns several businesses across the country including a restaurant called ‘Captain’s Eleven” in Chandigarh and Patna and a hotel in Chandigarh named ‘Kaptain’s Retreat Hotel’.
Other famous names include Sachin Tendulkar, who has a diversified investment portfolio as well as owns eateries; Virat Kohli, who, among other investments, jointly owns the gymnasium chain ‘Chisel’, MS Dhoni, who co-owns Mahi Racing Squad India, a Super Sports World Championship team; and Yuvraj Singh, who supports the sports-themed online business Sports365.in, which sells sporting and fitness equipment.
The bottom line is that retiring from playing active sports is, in fact, an opportunity to grow in other aspects that these well-known cricket players have explored to their fullest extent. There are many career options that players can explore which may or may not be related to their chosen careers. The idea is to grow – personally, professionally, and financially.
FAQs
Who gives salaries to cricketers?
Indian cricket players earn a fixed annual salary from the Board of Control for Cricket in India(BCCI). Apart from this, they also get paid per match, depending on the type of match.
How do cricketers make money?
The Indian Cricket players make money in the following ways:
Advertising
Sponsorships
Playing for Private Enterprises (IPL)
How do cricketers earn money after retirement?
The earning avenues for cricketers after retirement include:
Cricket Coaching
Commentators
Entrepreneurship and Investing
How do cricketers get paid?
Cricketers earn through contracts (central/team), match fees, endorsements, performance bonuses, franchise leagues (IPL, BBL), and social media deals. Top players also earn from brand sponsorships, prize money, and business ventures.
Do cricketers get pension?
Yes, many retired cricketers receive a pension from their cricket boards, like BCCI, ECB, and PCB, based on their playing tenure and contributions.
How much money do cricketers earn?
Cricketers’ earnings vary widely. Top international players earn INR 10-50 crore+ yearly from contracts, match fees, IPL, and endorsements. Domestic players earn INR 20 lakh to a few crores. Retired players may get pensions and media deals.
Cricketers are similar to movie stars that have a huge commercial appeal. This is why many upcoming cricketers including Shreyas Iyer are currently in demand for endorsing products. Shreyas Santosh Iyer is an Indian cricketer who currently plays for the country in international cricket, Mumbai’s cricket team in the domestic cricket and Delhi Capital in the Indian Premier league.
Shreyas Iyer is a right-handed top order batsman that plays in all forms of cricket like One day International (ODIs), Twenty20 International, Indian Premier League, Under 19 Indian cricket team, etc for India. The cricketer made his debut in 2014 to 2015 Vijay Hazare Trophy by playing for Mumbai, in which he scored over 273 runs in the tournament at an average of 54.
Shreyas helped the Under-19 team by hitting back-to-back half-centuries in the playoffs which led to India to finish fifth in the 2014 World Cup. He also played Ranji trophy the same year with an impressive score of 809 runs with an average of 50.56 making him the 7th highest scorer of 2014 Ranji Trophy.
He has also given top performances in 2016 to 2017 Ranji trophy, 2018 to 2019 Vijay Hazare trophy tournament, 2018 to 2019 Deodhar Trophy, 2018 to 2019 Syed Maushtaq Ali trophy. Shreyas became popular after he became a part of the Delhi Capital Team after being auctioned in 2015 Indian Premier League. In 2018, he became the youngest capital to lead the Delhi Daredevils team in the IPL history.
Shreyas Iyer was retained by the Delhi Capitals IPL team up until 2019, the cricketer also helped the team reach playoffs after seven years. In 2020’s IPL season, Shreyas continued as a captain making the team reach finals for the first time. BCCI describes the cricketer that has the ability to mix power game with classical approach and known for his sharp fielding in the IPL.
In 2021, Shreyas Iyer became a part of Lancashire for 2021 season of Royal London One Day Cup. The net worth of Shreyas Iyer is estimated to be $4 million in 2021. He is known to charge over Rs. 20 to Rs. 30 lakhs for brand endorsement deals. Some of the brands endorsed by Shreyas Iyer are BoAt, Fresca Juices, Myprotein, Google Pixel, Manyavar, Dream11, and CEAT. Lets know more about these.
In February 2025, InCred, a diversified financial services group, announced its collaboration with Shreyas Iyer, announced him as its new brand ambassador, succeeding the legendary Rahul Dravid.
This partnership underscores InCred’s commitment to aligning with the core values of cricket—discipline, perseverance, and performance—which resonate with their vision of empowering individuals to achieve their financial goals. The collaboration features a series of marketing campaigns focused on making financial services more accessible and transparent & enhancing financial awareness across India.
MyFitness
MyFitness – Shreyas Iyer Brand Endorsements
Iyer’s partnership with MyFitness is a perfect example of how sports personalities can influence lifestyle and dietary choices. With his disciplined fitness routine and strong fan following, he continues to inspire many to opt for healthier food options, making this endorsement a successful and strategic move for both MyFitness and Iyer’s brand.
Britannia
Britannia – Shreyas Iyer Brand Endorsements
Britannia Bourbon launched its “Original Friendship” campaign, featuring Indian cricketers Hardik Pandya, Shreyas Iyer, and Deepak Chahar. The television commercial depicted the trio’s camaraderie, highlighting the mischievous aspects of friendship. In the ad, Pandya playfully deceives Iyer and Chahar by pretending to share the last Bourbon biscuit while secretly hiding additional pieces, leading to a lighthearted chase among the friends.
This campaign aimed to celebrate the playful bonds among friends, positioning Britannia Bourbon as a treat that complements such fun moments. The cricketers’ real-life friendship added authenticity to the narrative, resonating with audiences who cherish similar experiences with their friends.
Ramraj
Ramraj – Shreyas Iyer Brand Endorsements
Indian cricketer Shreyas Iyer was featured in a television commercial for Ramraj, a brand renowned for its traditional men’s attire, including vests (baniyans). The advertisement aimed to highlight the comfort and convenience of Ramraj vests.
However, the commercial garnered significant attention on social media platforms, particularly Twitter, where users critiqued its content and execution, labeling it “cringe-worthy.” The ad’s narrative and presentation sparked widespread discussions and humorous reactions among netizens.
WhatsApp partnered with Star Sports to launch the “Privacy Unplugged” series, a five-part short-form content initiative highlighting the significance of privacy in the digital age. This series featured prominent athletes, including Shreyas Iyer, who shared personal narratives emphasizing how WhatsApp’s privacy features support their professional and personal lives.
In his segment, Iyer discussed leveraging WhatsApp’s ‘View Once’ feature to share his magic tricks with younger teammates, fostering a comfortable environment for them to discuss challenges. This approach underscores the importance of private communication in building confidence and camaraderie within a team.
NBA Style India
NBA Style India – Shreyas Iyer Brand Endorsements
Shreyas Iyer’s association with NBA Style India is a testament to his growing influence beyond cricket, positioning him as a style icon who effortlessly blends sports with fashion. This collaboration allows him to showcase his love for sneakers, streetwear, and athleisure, stuff that have become a crucial part of modern-day sports culture.
Through his partnership with NBA Style India, Iyer has successfully expanded his brand beyond cricket. His ability to carry bold fashion statements while maintaining an athletic edge has made him a trendsetter among young sports enthusiasts.
Indian cricketer Shreyas Iyer was featured in a FanCraze advertisement that garnered significant attention and sparked controversy. The ad campaign depicted a scenario where a female fan approaches Iyer for an autograph but realizes she doesn’t have suitable material for him to sign. In a seemingly awkward moment, she begins to lift her top, prompting Iyer to intervene by offering his hoodie for the autograph.
This incident highlights the fine line that advertising campaigns must navigate to engage audiences without crossing into controversial or offensive territory. It also underscores the importance of sensitivity and awareness in content creation, especially when featuring high-profile personalities like Shreyas Iyer.
Oppo
OPPO – Shreyas Iyer Brand Endorsements
In June 2024, OPPO India unveiled its #DareToFlaunt campaign to promote the OPPO F27 Pro+ 5G smartphone, featuring actress Shraddha Kapoor and cricketer Shreyas Iyer. The campaign highlighted the phone’s status as India’s first IP69-rated waterproof smartphone, emphasizing its durability and sleek design.
The accompanying television commercial showcased the F27 Pro+ enduring various rigorous scenarios, such as being subjected to a washing machine cycle, submerged in a swimming pool, used to hammer a cricket wicket, and even run over by a car.
In each instance, the phone emerged unscathed, underscoring its resilience. This portrayal aimed to resonate with extremely bold and adventurous spirit of Gen Z, encouraging users to flaunt their devices without fear of damage.
The #DareToFlaunt campaign successfully garnered significant attention, accumulating over 150 million views across various platforms.
This widespread engagement reflects the campaign’s effectiveness in connecting with the target audience and highlighting the unique features of the OPPO F27 Pro+ 5G.
Ultrahuman
Ultrahuman – Shreyas Iyer Brand Endorsements
Indian cricketer Shreyas Iyer collaborated with Ultrahuman, a leading metabolic fitness platform, to enhance his athletic performance through advanced health monitoring technology.
Using the Ultrahuman M1, a continuous glucose monitoring device, Iyer gained valuable insights into his metabolic health, enabling him to optimize his diet, training, and overall performance. This partnership underscores Iyer’s commitment to leveraging technology for health and fitness optimization, reflecting an active and health-conscious lifestyle.
Gillette
Gillette – Shreyas Iyer Brand Endorsements
Gillette India launched the ‘Play With The Stars’ campaign, featuring Shreyas Iyer and fellow cricketer Shubman Gill. This initiative introduced special Cricket Edition packs of Gillette’s Mach3 and Fusion5 razors, offering consumers a chance to meet and play cricket with their idols. The campaign emphasized precision and excellence, aligning with Gillette’s brand values.
Red Bull
Shreyas Iyer, the dynamic Indian cricketer, has established a notable partnership with Red Bull, a brand renowned for its association with high-energy sports and events.
This collaboration aligns seamlessly with Iyer’s vibrant and active persona, reflecting his commitment to excellence on and off the cricket field. This association places Iyer among an elite group of sports personalities who embody the brand’s ethos of pushing boundaries and striving for greatness.
Mutual Funds Sahi Hai – Shreyas Iyer Brand Endorsements
The Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) expanded its “Mutual Funds Sahi Hai” campaign by collaborating with prominent cricketers, including Shreyas Iyer, to enhance financial literacy among India’s youth and first-time investors.
By aligning with popular cricketers, AMFI successfully bridged the gap between complex financial concepts and the general public, fostering a culture of informed investment decisions among India’s youth.
BoAt
BoAt – Shreyas Iyer Brand Endorsements
BoAt is one of the top consumer electronics company in India. It founded by Sameer Mehta and Aman Gupta in 2013. The company has its headquarters based in New Delhi and is known for wide range of products like headphones, speakers, mobile phone accessories, smartwatches, stereos, electric shavers, travel chargers, premium cables, power banks, sound bars, etc.
In 2020, BoAt became the fifth largest wearable company in the world as it had a market share of 3.5% in the global market. Shreyas Iyer was signed as BoAt’s brand ambassador in 2020. Shreyas Iyer has been featured ad campaign with the tagline of “Sound of the Champions”. This ad is said to be targeted towards fitness and music enthusiasts. With Shreyas in their side the brand is hoping to strengthen the brand narrative of offering products that are high tech, best in style and good for strenuous exercises.
Commenting on the association, Aman Gupta, the co-founder of BoAt said that, the cricketer’s youthful persona and dynamism goes perfectly with BoAt. BoAt has also been the audio sponsor for six IPL teams and has previously signed cricketers like KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant, and Prithvi Shaw as their brand ambassadors.
Google Pixel
Google Pixel – Shreyas Iyer Brand Endorsements
Google Pixel is one of the top consumer electronics company that was developed by Google. The pixel brand was first introduced in 2013 with their laptop Chromebook Pixel. Google Pixel is known for its products such as the Pixel Smartphones (Pixel 3a & 3a XL, Pixel 4 & 4 XL, Pixel 5, etc.) Pixel tablets (Pixel C, Pixel Slate), Laptops (Chromebook Pixel, Pixelbook) and Accessories (Pixel Buds, Pixelbook Pen, etc.). These products can be run with the Chrome OS or the Android operating system.
In 2017, the company signed the then Indian cricket team coach and Shardul Thakur, Mayank Dagar and Shreyas Iyer to endorse the Google Pixel 2. The #daywithpixel2 ad campaign featured all cricketers where they showcase the features of Google Pixel 2 when they spend a day where they out for lunch and a supposed outing away from the camp with Google Pixel 2. This ad campaign became viral as it has garnered over 3 million views.
Manyavar is one of the most well-known ethnic fashion brands in India. The company was initially founded by Ravi Modi in 1999 where it only sold men’s ethnic wear. The company has now become synonymous for its wide range of wedding wear, festive wear, fusion wear for men, women and even children. As of now, Manyavar has over 600 stores across in more than 200 cities including 120 flagship stores and over 13 international stores in countries UAE and America.
It also has more than 4000 employees around the world. Manyavar has so far, many famous brand ambassadors such as Virat Kohli, Anushka Sharma, Ranveer Singh, Kartik Aryan, Alia Bhatt, Amitabh Bachchan, etc. The company also signed Shreyas Iyer as an endorser for the #Manyavarwalidiwaali campaign in 2018. The cricketer can be seen dancing with a kid while wearing a Manyavar kurta. This ad also features other cricketers like Virat Kohli, Umesh Yadav, etc.
Fresca Juices
Fresca juices – Shreyas Iyer Brand Endorsements
Fresca juices is one of the fastest growing natural fruit brands in India. The brand is a under the FMCG company known as Bankey Behari foods was started by Akhil Gupta in 1999. The company is known for its products such as Jams, Pickles, Tomato Ketchup, Chutneys and Syrups. In 2010, the company also started manufacturing delivering fresh and authentic fruit juices with diverse flavors.
Fresca Juices has now become a household name because of its wide variety of nutritious flavors essential for a healthy lifestyle. The company is known to have over 200 plus distributers across the country. The brand signed Amrya Dastur and Shreyas Iyer as its brand ambassador in 2021.
The cricketer has appeared in ad campaigns in a unique fun-filled avatar, where the cricketer talks about situations when life gives you tough situations, he just grabs the drink to bring it back on track. The tagline of the campaign is #TheFrescaLife, with this campaign the brands aim to strengthen its leadership position in the fruit drink market in India.
Myprotein
Myprotein – Shreyas Iyer Brand Endorsements
Myprotein is a leading sports nutrition company was originally founded by Oliver Cookson in 2004. The company is known for its products such as sports nutrition products, gym clothing, protein powders, nutritional shakes and drinks, vitamins and healthy high-protein snacks. The brand is a subsidiary of Hut Group and is currently the Number 1 in Europe while operating in over 70 countries.
Myprotein became so popular because its products are high quality, vitamins and minerals, high-protein foods, snack alternatives, and performance clothing. The brand signed Shreyas Iyer as its brand ambassador in 2021 during the 14th season of the Indian Premier League. With Shreyas Iyer endorsing its products, the brand aims to utilize the cricketer’s strong social media presence in order to connect with more sports enthusiasts and spread the benefits of Myprotein.
According to the cricketer, professional athletes, have to focus on fitness and body conditioning and maintain correct levels of protein and vitamins to support their strength training and conditioning, that’s where brands like Myprotein help in keeping a balanced regime.
CEAT is a multinational tyre company which is a subsidiary of RPG Group. The company is a leader in manufacturing tyres for passenger cars, cycles, SUVs, two-wheelers, trucks and buses, light commercial vehicles, earth movers, fork lifters, tractors, trailers, and even autorickshaws. CEAT exports to countries across Africa, Americas, Australia, Asia, and have a production capacity of over 800 tonnes per day and 165 million tyres annually.
The company was initially founded by Virginio Bruni Tedeschi in 1924 but was acquired by RPG Group in the 1990s. CEAT has had a history of choosing cricketers like Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Ajinkya Rahane as its brand ambassador especially during IPL seasons.
In 2019, the company signed Shreyas Iyer as its brand ambassador in 2019, according to the deal the CEAT logo will permanently be features donned on the bats used by Shreyas Iyer. Commenting on the association, the cricketer said that it is his pleasure to be associated with CEAT as it has always supported and boosted cricket in the India.
Dream11
Dream11 – Shreyas Iyer Brand Endorsements
Dream11 is a leading Indian fantasy sports company that was founded by Harsh Jain and Bhavit Sheth in 2008. The company allows its user to play fantasy cricket, hockey, football, kabaddi and basketball. As of 2014, Dream11 is known to have over 1 million registered users which grew to 2 million in 2016 and up to 45 million in 2018.
In 2019, the company was the first Indian gaming company to become a unicorn. In 2021, Dream11 launch six multimedia campaigns during the 2021 Indian Premier League. The ad campaigns feature cricketers like Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, Shikhar Dhawan, Hardik Pandya and Shreyas Iyer that seen playing fantasy cricket with their neighborhood teams.
The tagline of the ads is ‘Team Hai Toh Mazaa Hai’, and revolves around fans and their love for cricket. The ad campaign also showcases the importance of having a team in real life to enjoy playing sports just like how the users of Dream11 can play their favourite sport by making their own teams.
Conclusion
Shreyas Iyer has recently emerged as a promising prospect for the Indian cricket team. At the age of 26, Shreyas Iyer has become prolific top-order batsman known for his fearless style of batting and high strike rate. Many media outlets have even compared him to iconic cricketers like Virender Sehwag. Shreyas Iyer has always actively promoted brands on social media where he has a huge fan following, which has helped him grow in the advertising world.
FAQs
Who is Shreyas Iyer?
Shreyas Iyer is a prominent Indian international cricketer known for his batting prowess.
Why are brands interested in endorsing Shreyas Iyer?
His consistent performance, youth appeal, stylish image, and growing popularity make him attractive to brands.
What types of brands does Shreyas Iyer typically endorse?
He endorses a variety of brands across categories like sports apparel, electronics, financial services, and consumer goods.
The thrill of an IPL auction is no less than the tournament itself— seeing your favorite team bidding for your favorite player is enough to spark excitement.
The Indian Premier League is not just a regular sports event— it’s a mega cricket festival. In a franchise sports tournament like IPL, auctions play a significant role as players list their contracts for sale, and the owner bids to buy them.
Over the years, the IPL auction has given the game of cricket many unknown faces who became big names and millionaires. The auction room has also witnessed star players being left unsold, franchises fighting for players, and millions and millions of dollars being spent on buying their services. As the wealthiest T20 league in the world, the Indian Premier League has seen it all.
Here is the list of IPL highest price player of all seasons.
During the inaugural season of the IPL, MS Dhoni became the most expensive player when Chennai Super Kings bought him for INR 9.5 crore. It wasn’t a surprise that Dhoni got the highest bid. The then captain of the Indian T20I team, who won the ICC 2007 T20 World Cup, MSD in 2008, was unstoppable— the aura, the performances, the stats— he was the best finisher of the game. That year, leading CSK to the finals, Dhoni amassed 414 runs in 16 matches with a healthy strike rate of 133.54 and an average of 41.40. Under his captaincy, CSK won 4 IPL titles in— 2010, 2011, 2018, and 2021. After playing in all the IPL seasons for CSK, the veteran keeper-batter has taken retirement from international cricket in 2020 and will serve CSK for the last time in 2023.
Most Expensive Players in IPL 2009 – Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen
The England duo of Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen were the joint most expensive players in IPL 2009.
Chennai Super Kings bought the English all-rounder, Andrew Flintoff for 9.8 crores INR, and Kevin Pietersen, the English top-order batsman, was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore for the same price. But neither of the cricketers proved to be worth the money. Flintoff had his first and last appearance in India’s premier domestic league in 2009. After taking two wickets and playing three matches, he withdrew from the franchise because of a knee injury. Kevin Pietersen also had a difficult season with the bat– he totaled 96 runs in six matches. He last played in the IPL in 2016 for the Rising Pune Super Giants.
IPL 2010
Name
Shane Bond, Kieron Pollard
Team
Kolkata Knight Riders, Mumbai Indians
Price
Rs. 4.8 crore
Most Expensive Players in IPL 2010 – Shane Bond and Kieron Pollard
The 2010 IPL season saw a mini-auction of sorts with only 11 players ending up in the team shopping cart, with Shane Bond and Kieron Pollard sharing the tag of the most expensive player. Bond was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders and played eight matches for the Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2010, and the legendary Kiwi speedster had an impactful season. Clinching nine wickets at a decent economy rate of 7.22, he was outstanding throughout the season. But sadly, 2009 was Bond’s only appearance in the IPL. Shane Bond is the current bowling coach for the Mumbai Indians (MI).
Kieron Pollard was bought by Mumbai Indians and had impressed the franchise by amassing 273 runs at an explosive strike rate of 185.71. He had the best figures of the season – 2/24 – for the franchise. The dashing right-arm batter and MI regular played a pivotal role in winning the title four times. Alongshore Shane Bond, Pollard is the batting coach for MI in the IPL 2023.
Most Expensive Players in IPL 2011 – Gautam Gambhir
Following Gautam Gambhir’s match-winning 97 off 122 balls in the 2011 World Cup final against Sri Lanka, he had to be the most wanted player that season. KKR went for the big move as the Shahrukh Khan-owned franchise made its highest bid ever– INR 14.9 crores and became the most expensive player in IPL 2011. Gambhir did not disappoint the franchise and made 378 runs in 15 matches with an average of 34.36. Gautam Gambhir also led the side to its twin titles in 2012 and 2014 and is considered to be one of the top 10 most expensive player in IPL history.
Now retired, Gambhir has been appointed the mentor for the Lucknow franchise and the 2023 IPL– along with Andy Flower and Rahul– Gambhir is working as the head coach for the team.
IPL 2012
Name
Ravindra Jadeja
Team
Chennai Super Kings
Price
Rs. 12.8 crore
Most Expensive Players in IPL 2012 – Ravindra Jadeja
Ravindra Jadeja became the most expensive player in IPL 2012. Bought by Chennai Super Kings for INR 12.8 crore, the Indian all-rounder failed to impress the franchise during that season and made only 191 runs and took 12 wickets. Although he was retained by CSK management for the next season at a reduced price of INR 7 crores, Jadeja has been an indispensable part of CSK over the last decade. In the 2023 IPL, CSK retained Jadeja for INR 16 crores.
The Aussie big-hitter, Glenn Maxwell, was picked by the Mumbai Indians for INR 6.3 crores before he became a star player. After aggregating 36 runs in three matches, he was released from the team. The subsequent year, Maxwell played for Kings XI Punjab and smashed a phenomenal 552 runs in 16 games, at an astounding strike rate of 187.75 and an average of 34.50. The Punjab-based franchise bought his services again before IPL 2020 for INR 10.75. For the 16th edition of the IPL, in 2023, the Aussie player was bought by the Bangalore franchise for INR 11.00 crore.
IPL 2014
Name
Yuvraj Singh
Team
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Price
Rs. 14 crore
Most Expensive Players in IPL 2014 -Yuvraj Singh
India’s white-ball legend, Yuvraj Singh, got the tag of the most expensive player when he was bought for INR 14 crore by RCB at the 2014 IPL auction. He had a decent season with the Bangalore franchise, amassing 376 runs in 14 games and picking up five wickets with his left-arm spin. It was the only year when the Southpaw represented Bangalore. He is also the only Indian player who, twice in a row, won the bid for the most expensive player.
Following Yuvi’s incredible 2014 season, he was again named the most expensive player during the IPL 2015 auction. Bought by the Delhi Capitals team for INR 16 crore, he had failed to perform for the Delhi franchise. Amassing 248 runs in 14 matches with a strike rate of just 118.09, Yuvraj took only one wicket that season. He later represented Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and Mumbai Indians (MI) before retiring after the 2019 edition.
IPL 2016
Name
Shane Watson
Team
Royal Challengers Bangalore
Price
Rs. 9.5 crore
Most Expensive Players in IPL 2016 – Shane Watson
The Australian all-rounder Shane Watson, bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore for INR 9.5 crore, was the most expensive player in IPL 2016. Although the Aussie player failed to impress with the bat and made only 179 runs in 16 matches, he was outstanding with the ball. Taking 20 wickets, Watson finished the season as the third-highest wicket-taker. In 2018, he represented CSK and even won the title with them that year. He is considered as the costliest player in IPL 2016.
Watson played his final IPL season in 2020 for Chennai, and in the same year, he announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. He stayed connected with cricket and joined Delhi Capitals as an assistant coach before the 2022 IPL season.
IPL 2017
Name
Ben Stokes
Team
Rising Pune Supergiant
Price
Rs. 14.5 crore
Most Expensive Players in IPL 2017 – Ben Stokes
Talismanic England all-rounder Ben Stokes played his debut IPL match in 2017 and was the most expensive player in IPL 2017. Sold to now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant for 14.5 crores INR, the English all-rounder justified his high price tag and did well in his debut season. The 28-year-old amassed 316 runs in 12 matches at a phenomenal strike rate of 142.98 and an average of 31.60. He also made 12 scalps at an economy rate of 7.18, returning with the best figures of 3/18. He is also the second player who twice won the bid for the most expensive player.
Ben Stokes again won the tag of the most expensive player in the IPL 2018 auction when the Rajasthan Royals bought him for INR 12.5 crore. Unfortunately, he failed to perform under the new franchise and made only 196 runs in 13 matches with a strike rate of around 120. Despite his hefty price tag, Ben Stokes struggled to live up to expectations in the 2018 season. However, his acquisition remains a testament to the immense faith teams put in his talent and potential.
IPL 2019
Name
Jaydev Unadkat, Varun Chakravarthy
Team
Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings
Price
Rs. 8.4 crore
Most Expensive Players in IPL 2019 – Jaydev Unadkat and Varun Chakravarthy
The duo became an overnight sensation when they shared the tag of the most expensive player in the IPL 2019 auction. Jaydev Unadkat was bought by Rajasthan Royals and Varun Chakravarthy by Punjab Kings for INR 8.4 crore each. Unfortunately, players were unable to impress with their performance.
Unadkat, unable to justify his price tag, let Rajasthan Royals down as he claimed only ten wickets in 11 matches at a poor economy rate of 10.66. During the IPL 2023 mega auction, the Super Giants bought him at his base price of INR 50 lakhs.
Varun Chakravarty, who started his IPL career with a tag of INR 8.4 crore in 2019, failed to make an impact and played just 1 match for the Punjab-based franchise, where he took one wicket at an economy rate of 11.66.He was the most expensive player in IPL 2019 together with Jaydev Unadkat. Following his failures, Varun is currently KKR’s mystery spinner, and during the IPL Auction 2023, the Kolkata franchise acquired his services for INR 12.00 crore.
IPL 2020
Name
Pat Cummins
Team
Kolkata Knight Riders
Price
Rs. 15.5 crore
Most Expensive Players in IPL 2020 – Pat Cummins
In 2020, the Aussie fast bowler made history when he became the highest auction player in IPL history after the Kolkata Knight Riders bought him for INR 15.5 crores. But Cummins ended up having a moderate season, claiming 12 wickets, with most of them coming in the second half of the season, and made 146 runs with the bat. Pat Cummins was the most expensive player in IPL 2020.
Although the right-arm pacer was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) during the IPL 2023 auction for INR 7.25 crore, the Aussie decided to skip IPL 2023 to take some rest ahead of Australia’s jam-packed cricket schedule.
The record of the most expensive IPL player was broken again in 2021 when Chris Morris became the most expensive player in IPL 2021 after the Rajasthan Royals bought him for a whopping INR 16.25 crores. The South African all-rounder claimed 15 wickets for Rajasthan Royals but had an economy of 9.17. The following year in January 2022, Chris Morris retired from all forms of cricket.
IPL 2022
Name
Ishan Kishan
Team
Mumbai Indians
Price
Rs. 15.25 crore
Most Expensive Players in IPL 2022 – Ishan Kishan
During the 2022 auction, Ishan Kishan became the second most expensive Indian player in the history of IPL after Yuvraj Singh. For INR 15.25 crore, he was bagged by Mumbai Indians. The Indian keeper-batter had a mixed campaign with the bat and concluded his season by scoring 418 runs with three fifties, despite MI finishing last in the points table.
IPL 2023
Name
Sam Curran
Team
Punjab Kings
Price
Rs. 18.5 crore
Highest Paid Player in All IPL Seasons – Sam Curran
The England all-rounder Sam Curran broke all records when he became the most expensive player in the history of IPL. During the 2023 auction, he fetched a whooping INR 18.50 crore bid from Punjab Kings after he recorded his best T20I figures— 5–10 against Afghanistan in 2022. Curran was part of the winning England team during the 2022 T20 World Cup, and he took the most wickets for England at the tournament and was named Player of the Tournament.
IPL 2024
Name
Mitchell Starc
Team
Kolkata Knight Riders
Price
Rs. 24.75 crore
Most Expensive Player in IPL History 2024 – Mitchell Starc
In the IPL 2024 auction, Starc was the center of a fierce bidding war, with multiple franchises vying for his services. Ultimately, the Kolkata Knight Riders emerged victorious, securing Starc’s signature for a staggering INR24.75 crore, the costliest player in the IPL auction history.
Starc’s exceptional performances in international cricket, particularly in the longest format, had made him a highly sought-after commodity. His ability to generate blistering pace, extract prodigious swing, and dismantle the best batting lineups in the world made him a prized asset for any team looking to bolster their bowling attack. He is considered to be the most expensive IPL player of all time. The Kolkata Knight Riders, who had struggled with their bowling in previous seasons, saw Starc as the missing piece to their championship puzzle. The franchise’s management was determined to secure the services of the Australian spearhead, understanding the immense value he would bring to their team.
IPL 2025
Name
Rishabh Pant
Team
Lucknow Super Giants
Price
Rs. 27 crore
Most Expensive Players in IPL 2025 – Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Rajendra Pant is an Indian cricketer who plays as a wicket-keeper batter for the Indian team. He also plays for Delhi in domestic cricket and captains Lucknow Super Giants in the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Pant is known for scoring runs consistently in Test cricket. In the IPL 2025 auction, Lucknow Super Giants bought him for INR 27 crore. This bid is considered the highest bid in IPL history.
He was part of the Indian team that won the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Run by the most affluent cricket board in the world– BCCI– the Indian Premier League is among the world’s highest-paid lucrative tournaments.
As mentioned by Forbes, IPL is the sixth most valuable sports league in the world, ranking behind the NFL, the Champions League, and Europe’s four big football leagues.
A franchise-based T20 game that began in 2008 has seen several youngsters soaring to new heights, and a few players have earned more than INR 100 crore from the league so far.
No wonder this game attracts the best players in the world to play in the IPL every year. Let’s find players who have earned the most through IPL since its inception in 2008.
Here’s the list of players who have earned INR 100 crores or more in the IPL.
Players Who Have Earned the Most Through IPL – Rohit Sharma
Standing on the top of the list, we have Rohit Sharma, with an overall IPL earning of INR 178.6 crore. Leading the Ambani-owned franchise’s success and turnaround in the IPL since 2013, Rohit Sharma has propelled the side to 5 IPL titles from 2013 to 2020.
His IPL career began in 2008 with Deccan Chargers, a Hyderabad-based franchise, for INR 4.8 crore. After playing for three seasons, he was sold to Mumbai Indians for INR 9.2 crore in the 2011 IPL mega auction. Since then, the franchise has retained him as their No.1 choice player in every mega auction. After playing for three seasons at MI in 2014, his salary increased to INR 12.5 crore and then to INR 15 crore in 2018. And ahead of the 2022 IPL mega auction, MI retained Rohit for a whopping INR 16 crore.
Rohit, the 3rd leading run-scorer in IPL history, is one of the few players who have been featured in all 15 seasons of the IPL so far. Sharma has played 232 IPL matches and amassed 6014 runs, averaging 30.22. Rohit Sharma is considered to have the highest earning in IPL history with a staggering INR 178.6 crore.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Player
Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Country
India
IPL Franchise
Chennai Super Kings
Earning
INR 176.8 crore
Players Who Have Highest Earning in IPL History – Mahendra Singh Dhoni
With an overall earning of INR 176.8 crore in the IPL, the former captain of Team India, MS Dhoni, comes second on the list.
The wicketkeeper-batsman joined CSK in 2008 as a marquee player for INR 6 crore and remained at the team’s helm. After leading the team to their title win in 2010, his salary saw a hike that reached INR 8.2 crore, and in 2014, CSK retained him for INR 12.5 crore.
When CSK got banned in 2015, RPSG picked Dhoni for INR 12.5 crore and played for the franchise for two years. When CSK returned in 2018, Dhoni played for INR 15 crore as their first player, and in 2022, CSK retained Dhoni for INR 12 crore, which continued in 2023.
Dhoni, who announced his retirement from international cricket in 2020, had played 13 seasons for CSK and two seasons for Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016 and 2017 when CSK was banned. He is the 9th highest scorer in the IPL with 4878 runs, averaging 39 with a strike rate of 135. For the 16th season of IPL, Mahi is back in action, but perhaps for the last time. He is one of the highest earning IPL player all time.
Players Who Have Highest Earning in IPL History – Virat Kohli
The former Royal Challengers Bangalore’s captain and star player, Virat Kohli, has a net IPL earning of INR 173.2 crore and comes third on the list.
In 2008, RCB picked up Kohli for INR 12 lakhs for the first 3 IPL seasons, and in 2011, RCB retained him for INR 8.2 crore. As his performances soared in the sky and he attained the captaincy post, his price also shot up. In 2014, Virat Kohli was retained for INR 12.5 crore, and in 2018, his price was INR 17 crore– and he was the first player in the IPL to get INR 17 crore per season making him the highest paid IPL player.
After Kohli stepped down as captain from all formats of cricket, his IPL salary in 2022 was shaved off by two crores, making it INR 15 crore from INR 17 crore, which he drew from IPL 2018 to 2021. The RCB skipper will carry the same salary in IPL 2023 as well.
The leading run-scorer in the IPL’s history, the RCB skipper, Virat Kohli, has played all 15 editions for RCB – and is the only player to achieve that for a single team. The 34-year-old star player has played 229 IPL matches, with a score of 6903 runs, averaging 36.72.
Players Who Have Highest Earning in IPL History – Suresh Raina
The now-retired Southpaw still stands in fourth place in terms of net IPL earnings. Suresh Raina has earned INR 110.74 crores, making him the 4th highest earner in the IPL.
In 2008, the Chennai Super Kings bought Raina’s services for INR 2.6 crores for the first three IPL seasons, and since then, he has been the backbone of the franchise. Raina had been the highest run-scorer in the IPL before Virat Kohli overtook him after IPL 12. In 2011, CSK retained Raina for INR 5.9 crores— and throughout his IPL career, Raina has batted at the number 3 position. When CSK disbanded in 2015, Gujarat Lions took him for INR 12 crores, which dropped to INR 9.5 crores in 2017. In 2018, when CSK returned, Raina was taken in by the team for INR 11 crores and retained in 2019 as well.
Popularly known as Mr. IPL, Suresh Raina had played 205 IPL matches and amassed 5528 runs, averaging 32.51. Raina had played with CSK for 11 seasons but was left unsold in 2020. He last played IPL in 2021 for CSK at INR 11 crores, and he took his retirement from the T20 league in September 2022. Kohli is one of the top 10 highest paid players in IPL history.
Players Who Have Highest Earning in IPL History – Ravindra Jadeja
In the number five spot, we have Ravindra Jadeja, who started his IPL career as an uncapped player– and now has a net IPL income of INR 109 crores.
Following his exploits in the ICC U-19 World Cup in 2008, Ravindra Jadeja was picked up by the Rajasthan Royals for INR 12 Lakh. However, later in 2010, he was banned for violating the IPL code of conduct.
In 2011, he was picked up by now-defunct Kochi Tuskers Kerala for INR 43 lakhs. And after the franchise disbanded in 2012, CSK took Jadeja for INR 9.2 crore. In 2014, playing for CSK, his salary was increased to INR 5.5 crores and was the same amount when Gujarat Titans bought his services in 2016 when CSK was banned. In 2027, Gujarat retained him with a hike of INR 9.5 crores, but he returned to CSK in 2018 for INR 7 crores till 2021. In 2022, Jadeja stayed with the franchise for a whooping INR 16 crores ahead of the 2022 auction that will continue in 2023 making him in the top 10 highest paid player in IPL history.
The Left-handed all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has played 215 IPL matches and has scored 2541 runs, with an average of 26.20.
Sunil Narine
Player
Sunil Narine
Country
West Indies
IPL Franchise
Kolkata Knight Riders
Earning
INR 107.2 crore
Players Who Have Highest Earning in IPL History – Sunil Narine
KKR’s go-to player, Sunil Narine, entered the 100-crore club in 2022 to become the second overseas player to earn a salary of 100 crores— with a net income of INR 107.2 crores.
The Trinidadian bowler Sunil Narine played his first IPL match in 2012 for KKR and has featured KKR for every season since 2012. Starting his IPL journey with INR 3.51 crore, Narine, with his top-quality bowling attacks with his flamboyant stroke play, saw a spike in his earnings— from 2018 to 2021, he earned Rs 12.5 crore per season.
But in 2022, that sum only reached INR 6 crore. However, after this, hebreached the 100-crore mark and became the second-richest overseas player in the tournament, after RCB star AB de Villiers. In a decade-long ongoing IPL career, Narine has played 154 matches and has taken 158 wickets, with an average of 25.41, conceding nearly 6.70 runs per over.
Players Who Have Highest Earning in IPL History – AB de Villiers
At the seventh spot is now retired South Africa’s finest batsman, AB de Villiers, with a net IPL earning of INR 102 crores. He is one of the cricketers who has most money earned in IPL.
The finest IPL player, ABD, started his IPL journey in 2008 with the Delhi Daredevils franchise for INR 1.2 crores and played for the franchise in the first three seasons at an income of INR 1.4 and 1.3 crores. Later, in 2011, he was bought by RCB for INR 5 crores, initiating his long journey with the franchise till his retirement. As RCB’s most successful batsman, he single-handedly won many matches for his team. In the 2014 IPL auction, RCB bought the South African player for INR 9.5 crores. With his consistently good performance, ABD’s salary kept increasing— in 2018, RCB bought his services for INR 11 crores. He was retained in the team in 2019 and 2020 for the same price. He is one of the highest earners in IPL history.
In 2021, RCB bought de Villiers for INR 11 crores, which marked the last season before his retirement. ABD has played 184 IPL matches and scored 5162 runs, averaging 39.70.
Gautam Gambhir
Player
Gautam Gambhir
Country
India
IPL Franchise
Delhi Capitals
Earning
INR 94.62 crores
Players Who Have Highest Earning in IPL History – Gautam Gambhir
Gautam Gambhir is one of the most decorated players in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The left-handed batsman amassed a staggering ₹94.62 crores in earnings throughout his illustrious 17-year IPL career making him in the list of highest earning player in IPL history. Gambhir first debuted his IPL in 2008 for the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals). He went on to play a crucial role in the team’s success over the next few seasons, emerging as one of the league’s most reliable opening batsmen.
In 2011, Gambhir was bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders for ₹11.04 crores, a then-record fee for an Indian player. He justified the price tag by leading the team to IPL title victories in 2012 and 2014, scoring 3,035 runs across 122 IPL innings at an average of 31.77 and a strike rate of 124.23 during his time with KKR. Gambhir’s performances and leadership helped establish Kolkata Knight Riders as one of the IPL’s dominant franchises in the early 2010s. After leaving KKR in 2018, he had stints with the Delhi Daredevils and the defending champions Mumbai Indians before announcing his retirement from the IPL in 2019.
Players Who Have Highest Earning in IPL History – Shikhar Dhawan
Veteran opener Shikhar Dhawan is one of the highest-earning players in the history of the Indian Premier League, having accumulated a staggering ₹91.8 crores throughout his IPL career. Dhawan first entered the IPL in 2008, representing the Deccan Chargers. He became a vital part of their batting lineup, emerging as one of the consistent run-getters in the league. In 2013, he was purchased by the Sunrisers Hyderabad for ₹5.5 crores.
Dhawan’s performances only improved after that, and he cemented his reputation as one of the most reliable opening batters in the IPL. He was a key contributor to the Sunrisers Hyderabad’s title-winning campaign in 2016, scoring 501 runs at an average of 38.54.
In 2019, Dhawan was traded to the Delhi Capitals, where he has continued to deliver match-winning displays. Over the years, his consistent run-scoring, explosive starts, and experience have made him an invaluable asset for the various franchises he has represented.
Dinesh Karthik
Player
Dinesh Karthik
Country
India
IPL Franchise
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Earning
INR 86.92 crores
Players Who Have Highest Earning in IPL History – Dinesh Karthik
Dinesh Karthik first entered the IPL in 2008, representing the Delhi Daredevils. Over the next decade, he went on to play for several high-profile franchises, including Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Gujarat Lions, and Kolkata Knight Riders. In 2018, Karthik was acquired by the Kolkata Knight Riders for ₹7.4 crores, cementing his status as one of the most sought-after players in the league. His leadership skills and finishing abilities made him an invaluable asset for KKR, as he helped the team reach the playoffs in 2018 and 2019. He is one of the most earning player in IPL with an earning of INR 86.92 crore.
Karthik’s versatility as a wicket-keeper batsman, his experience, and his skills in pressure situations have seen him command high auction prices throughout his IPL journey. He has scored 4,453 runs at an average of 25.58 and a strike rate of 129.77 in 233 IPL matches.
Glenn Maxwell
Player
Glenn Maxwell
Country
Australia
IPL Franchise
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Earning
INR 85.42 crores
Players Who Have Highest Earning in IPL History – Glenn Maxwell
Glenn Maxwell, an Australian cricketer, bats right-handed and bowls off-spin. He first played in the IPL in 2012 with the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals). In 2021, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) bid the highest amount of INR 14.25 crore to get Maxwell on their team. Since then, he has been with RCB. In 2023, RCB decided to keep him for the IPL 2024 season with a deal of INR 11 crore.
He is known for his powerful batting, great fielding, and off-spin bowling. However, he has chosen to take a break from IPL 2024 because he feels mentally and physically tired. He has earned a whopping INR 85.42 crores through IPL.
Yuvraj Singh
Player
Yuvraj Singh
Country
India
IPL Franchise
Mumbai Indians
Earning
INR 84.6 crores
Players Who Have Highest Earning in IPL History – Yuvraj Singh
Yuvraj Singh is a former Indian cricketer who played in the Indian Premier League (IPL) for several teams, including Punjab Kings, Pune Warriors India, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Delhi Daredevils, and Sunrisers Hyderabad. He has earned INR 84.6 crore in his IPL journey.
Yuvraj is in talks with Delhi Capitals about becoming a coach for the 2025 IPL season. He also wants to help young cricketers and work with the Indian cricket team as a mentor.
David Warner
Player
David Warner
Country
Australia
IPL Franchise
Delhi Capitals
Earning
INR 83.5 crores
Players Who Have Highest Earning in IPL History – David Warner
David Warner played for Delhi Capitals (DC) in two different periods—first from 2009 to 2013 and then from 2022 to 2024. He is the fourth-highest run-scorer in IPL history with 6,565 runs at a strike rate of nearly 140, with over 2,500 runs for Delhi.
However, DC did not retain him, and no team bought him in the IPL 2025 auction. If DC wants him back, Warner, now 38 years old, will have to decide between playing in the IPL or for Karachi Kings in the PSL, as both leagues happen at the same time.
Ravichandra Ashwin
Player
Ravichandran Ashwin
Country
India
IPL Franchise
Rajasthan Royals
Earning
INR 82.4 crores
Players Who Have Highest Earning in IPL History – Ravichandra Ashwin
With R. Ashwin in their squad, Rajasthan Royals (RR) have gained a strong advantage. Alongside Yuzvendra Chahal, Ashwin forms a powerful spin duo that will be tough for batsmen to handle.
Ashwin’s record speaks for itself—he has been a legendary off-spinner with outstanding performances, including recent matches against Australia, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka. In the Mohali Test, he surpassed Kapil Dev to become India’s second-highest wicket-taker.
Known for his sharp cricketing mind, Ashwin is a hardworking and strategic player, always coming up with new tricks to outsmart the opposition. Keep an eye on this magical spinner!
Lokesh Rahul
Player
Lokesh Rahul
Country
India
IPL Franchise
Lucknow Super Giants
Earning
INR 82.1 crores
Players Who Have Highest Earning in IPL History – KL Rahul
KL Rahul plays cricket with style and elegance. He leads Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) with confidence and a calm attitude.
When LSG made their IPL debut in 2022, Rahul was the perfect choice as captain. He led the team to the playoffs with nine wins in 14 matches.
Rahul was the second-highest run-scorer in IPL 2022, scoring 616 runs at an average of 51.33. His partnership with Quinton de Kock at the top created many memorable moments.
Before LSG, Rahul played for Punjab and remains the only Indian batter to score 500+ runs in five consecutive IPL seasons (2018-2022)—a true mark of consistency!
After Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)‘s heavy defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2024, Sanjiv Goenka‘s angry reaction towards KL Rahul made it clear that there were issues within the team. The video of this outburst went viral on social media. After that, it was clear that LSG would not retain Rahul for IPL 2025, which later turned out to be true.
As per reports on March 11, 2025, KL Rahul has declined the opportunity to captain Delhi Capitals. The 32-year-old batter was offered the role but chose to focus on playing in the 2025 IPL instead. Rahul, who has previously captained Punjab Kings and Lucknow Super Giants, was bought by Delhi for Rs 14 crore in the 2025 mega auction.
Rohit Sharma from Mumbai Indians has earned most money from IPL. He has made a staggering amount of INR 178.6 crore in his IPL journey so far.
Which board is the Indian Premier League run by?
Indian Premier League is run by the Board of Control for Cricket in India and is among the world’s highest-paid lucrative tournaments.
Who are the players who have earned INR 100 crores or more in the IPL?
Here’s the list of players who have earned INR 100 crores or more in the IPL:
Rohit Sharma
Mahendra Singh Dhoni
Virat Kohli
Suresh Raina
Ravindra Jadeja
Sunil Narine
AB De Villiers
Sunil Narine plays international cricket for which country?
Sunil Narine is a Trinidadian cricketer who plays internationally for the West Indies.
What is Suresh Raina IPL salary?
Suresh Raina has earned an amount of INR 110.74 from IPL.
What is AB de Villiers net worth?
AB de Villiers has an estimated net worth of INR 74 crore or $9 million, as of 2024.
Who is the highest paid player in IPL history?
As of March 2025, the highest paid player in Indian Premier League (IPL) history is Rishabh Pant, who was acquired by Lucknow Super Giants for ₹27 crore (approximately $4.92 million) during the IPL 2025 mega auction.
The latest edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is here now in 2025, and naturally, we are in the midst of the cricket frenzy with players set in action, the religious fans of the game all thrilled and waiting for their favorite matches, and the franchise owners and other businessmen anticipating great returns out of it. The Twenty20 Cricket League allows the best cricket players around the world and gives them a chance to showcase their talent. The key business plan of the IPL is to invite private companies to buy cricket franchises.
The franchises are sold at huge prices, so the corporates are largely attracted to invest in various other major components of IPL. Regarding the Indian Premier League auctions, teams spend crores of rupees just to get the desired players. With the kind of money involved in the league, it is hard to ignore the financial aspects of the game. In terms of the valuation, the IPL business value was calculated to be $16.4 billion as of 2024 and the stand-alone IPL brand value stands at $3.4 billion as of 2024.
According to BCCI, the 2023 IPL season contributed $11.2 billion to the GDP of the Indian Economy. The viewership of IPL 2024 reached the 620 million viewer mark and was watched by more than 350 billion minutes, which is much higher than the total watch time of IPL 2020. Therefore, IPL is as much about business as it is about cricket, glitz, and showbiz. Here are the right prominent ways to answer how IPL franchise earn money.
The official media sponsor of the IPL for the last decade was Sony India, and then Dream 11. The current title sponsor of IPL is TATA Group. Disney+Hotstar is declared as the official broadcaster of IPL 2022, which has further onboarded new sponsors, Zomato, Pristyn Care, Ather Energy, Parle Agro, Livspace, Niyo, Spotify, L’Oreal, Spinny, ahead of the cricketing extravaganza.
IPL is known for its revenue distribution model. The BCCI gets a substantial amount from broadcasters and online streamers. Based on IPL franchises to earn money, and IPL team ranking, this amount is distributed among all IPL teams after deducting their fees.
Media rights are another way how franchises earn money in IPL. They are the IPL brand’s biggest financial contributors. Star India reportedly broke the bank in 2023 to buy IPL broadcasting rights for a massive INR 23,575 crores. Each match of the IPL reportedly helps BCCI make INR 60.18 crores, while the latest bid in the BCCI media rights auction stands at INR 23,758 crores, which amounts to INR 59.10 crores per match.
The broadcasters can afford such exorbitant prices because of the advertising and viewership revenues. At the end of the league, the higher-ranking team gets the larger share of media revenue. Media rights account for 60 to 70% of the total earnings of the IPL team, through which IPL team members earn money. Besides that, the IPL franchises also make money by broadcasting special shows such as KKR’s Knight Club.
The revenue generated from the sale of tickets for matches forms another major source of income for the owners of IPL teams. Each franchise is entitled to a minimum of 7 home matches, which gives them a fair opportunity to generate money. The ticket revenue share in the IPL team revenue is around 10%. The home team gets a fixed share of the total ticket sales, and all IPL team owners earn money by selling tickets.
The franchises then have complete rights to the income from gate tickets and passes. Like any other major sports event, the IPL teams depend largely on their fans for revenue. It is one of the most watched leagues worldwide, with full houses on most occasions. This is one of the few mediums of income where fans and franchises are directly involved in the financial transaction and through which IPL team earn money.
The revenue received from sales of official IPL merchandise also forms a significant part of income for IPL teams. The IPL merchandise includes official jersey replicas, sports souvenirs, and sports equipment, among other things. Merchandising is a huge opportunity for IPL and the franchisees to monetize their brand, and IPL has started replicating the global sporting events.
This trend is expected to change, with more IPL franchises now moving towards elevated merchandise promotion. The game merchandise market in India is growing at an annual rate of 100 percent. This market is about 30 million dollars. Every franchisee sells its merchandise; this includes T-shirts, caps, bats, wristwatches, and other items. Therefore, merchandising is a significant source for IPL franchise to earn money.
The IPL franchises can make big gains by selling stakes at the right time. For example, Delhi Capitals, formerly the Delhi Daredevils case. Jindal Steel Works brought a 50% stake in the IPL franchise for a hefty price of INR 550 crore from GMR. The group has expressed its desire to increase its share in the franchise from 50 to 100%.
So, within a decade, GMR almost doubled its investment in the franchise. Recently, there were intense rumors that the owners of Rajasthan Royals wanted to go by the same route and sell 50% of their stakes in the franchise. Although such big deals don’t happen deals every day, selling stakes is surely one of the major routes to making money for IPL franchises. This is one of the prominent ways through which the IPL team owner make money.
5. Sponsorship
IPL Sponsorships – How IPL Franchises Make Money
Everything within the stadium has a price tag, from players batting to the bails on the stamps. The sponsors are the real source of income in the Indian Premium League. All the teams of IPL have sponsors for everything: the main sponsor, a jersey sponsor, and even a sleeve sponsor, which hugely contributes to the overall income. The teams tie up with organizations to promote brands in return for an exorbitant amount.
The promotion is done in two forms: through print media and through advertorials. The player’s jerseys are a valuable marketing tool. This is why an IPL outfit has an average of 10 brand logos: 6 on the jerseys, 2 on the pants, and another couple on the cap. Moreover, the franchises also create ad content to promote the brands’ products.
While the brands that cannot make on the jerseys are still promoted through the teams’ social media handles and package design, for example, CSK has tied up with at least 18 brands, with Etihad Airways being the title sponsor.
Prize money is obviously one of the franchise’s main income sources. The tournament’s winning team gets the largest share of the prize money, which goes to the team owners and the players. In 2023, the winners got INR 20 crores, the runner-up got INR 13 crores, the third place in the playoffs was INR 7 crores, while the fourth place in the playoffs got INR 6.5 crores.
7. Brand Value
Most Valuable IPL Teams in 2023
Brand value adds a lot to the team. If you have star players like Virat Kohli and MS Dhoni or even Rohit Sharma in your team, you have a better chance of attracting brands and investors. Winning IPL or even making it to the Playoffs helps IPL franchises to boost their brand values. This, in turn, helps in easily getting brands on board – at prices that the owners demand. Note that MI, CSK, and KKR, all of whom have won IPL more than once, are at the top of the brand value.
So, the clout that teams like CSK and MI enjoy during negotiations with brands may not necessarily be experienced by DC and KXIP. However, it is important to know that Brand Value is not only affected by a team’s past performances. Bollywood stars like Shah Rukh Khan and Preity Zinta also add a lot to that aspect, along with business leaders like Keshav Bansal and Neeta Ambani.
8. Unlisted Shares
It is worth noting that while it is a new phenomenon for Indian sports franchises, numerous European football franchises have been offering their pre-IPO stocks in cricket fans’ lives for a while now. In India, Chennai Super Kings is among the select few sports franchises whose unlisted shares can be traded. These franchises have been able to generate a considerable amount of capital through their pre-IPO stocks, which has proven to be a valuable source of funding for them.
9. Investments in IPL
Saudi Arabia shared plans to invest up to $5 billion in the IPL in 2023. The league is also attracting a lot of interest from American investors who are putting big money into it, making the IPL one of the most profitable sports ventures. According to the Financial Times, US companies like Silver Lake Partners, KKR & Co., and TPG Capital have invested over $3.2 billion in the IPL.
US investors are drawn to the IPL because of its huge popularity and its potential to grow even more. The IPL isn’t just a well-loved sporting event; it also has a big impact on India’s economy.
10. OTT Platforms
Viacom18, the company that owns Jio Cinemas, won the OTT rights for IPL from 2023 to 2027. They bid INR 23,758 crore just for the digital streaming rights! Altogether, the total revenue from IPL media rights for 2023-2027 came to around INR 48,390 crore. This includes INR 23,575 crore for TV rights and INR 23,758 crore for digital rights. This is more than twice the amount earned in the previous period!
11. Franchise Rights
IPL teams earn from franchise rights by getting a share of the central revenue pool, signing local sponsorships, and selling team merchandise like jerseys and caps. Some teams organize international matches, invest in cricket academies, and monetize digital content through ads and brand collaborations. This helps them earn even outside the IPL season.
Indian Premier League(IPL) is a money-making business and festival for cricket fans worldwide. Cricket fans around the world travel across seven countries and seven continents to watch IPL in India. All credit goes to the cricket league as it has created a bigger impact on cricket fans’ lives. It’s a money-making league where the money is generated from all sources. The money is generated from advertisements, sponsors, stadium tickets, merchandise, TV, and media.
FAQs
What is the brand value of IPL 2024?
The IPL business value was calculated to be $16.4 billion as of 2024 and the stand-alone IPL brand value stands at $3.4 billion as of 2024.
How IPL team owners earn money?
IPL team owners earn money primarily through sponsorships, broadcasting rights, ticket sales, merchandise, and team merchandise. They also generate revenue from franchise fees paid by team owners and endorsements.
What is IPL merchandise?
The IPL merchandise includes IPL and team t-shirts, key rings, jerseys, polo t-shirts, mobile covers, chargers, caps, joggers, coasters, wristbands and more.
What is the IPL business model?
The IPL business model revolves around acquiring players and teams, advertising, merchandising, sponsorship, fantasy gaming, and more. The IPL business model’s core is inviting private firms and businesses to own franchises.
Which is the oldest IPL team?
MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) had the oldest players in their team, while Rajasthan Royals (RR) had the youngest team playing in the IPL 2021 according to the average age of the players in the squad.
Which is the No.1 successful team in IPL?
MI and CSK are the most successful teams in the league’s history, with 5 IPL titles.
What is IPL team owner income per match?
IPL teams can earn between INR 3–5 crores per match from ticket sales. The home team receives 80% of the ticket sales, while the state cricket board receives the remaining 20%.
How much IPL winning team owners make money?
The IPL offers the highest prize money: INR 20 crore for the winning team and INR 12.5 crore for the runner-up.
How IPL teams earn money?
IPL teams earn money in the following ways:
1. Media Rights 2. Ticket Sales/Gate Revenue 3. Merchandising 4. Selling stake 5. Sponsorship 6. Prize Money 7. Brand Value 8. Unlisted Shares 9. Investments in IPL 10. OTT Platforms 11. Franchise Rights
How do IPL franchises make money?
IPL franchises make money through multiple streams, including broadcast revenue from media rights, sponsorships from brand partnerships, and ticket sales from home matches. They also earn from merchandise sales, prize money based on performance, and player trading. Additionally, income comes from local sponsorships, digital content on platforms like YouTube, and investments in global leagues and regional events. These diverse revenue sources ensure IPL franchises remain profitable.
In this fast-moving world, who has the time to have a set up in their living room to sit back and watch the cricket match? That’s where Mr. Pankaj Chhaparwal’s brain clicked and he came up with the idea of Cricbuzz.
Cricbuzz was founded in 2004 and was merged with the Go Cricket website in 2014 by its majority stakeholder Times Internet. Cricbuzz is a platform that features news, articles, and live coverage of cricket matches that includes videos, text commentary, players’ information, and team rankings.
Cricbuzz uses many creative marketing strategies to highlight the company’s social media presence all over India. One of the Buzz created by them was a show during lockdown named ‘STRATEGIC TIMEOUT’ which denotes a short break from the busy life to sit back and enjoy the videos of cricket celebrities talking about the COVID-19 safety norms by practicing social distancing & talking about the proper use of sanitizers. They said that it was not a lockdown it was just a strategic time-out! Cricketers also humorously answered lockdown-related doubts, questions, and queries to lighten the mood of the masses and ensure maximum reach and knowledge of both, the safety norms and the brand Cricbuzz. There are many such brand and marketing strategies used by Cricbuzz. A few of the top ones are mentioned below:
Cricbuzz TV Advertisement – Cricket Ka Keeda – Milk
It’s one of the best marketing techniques that Cricbuzz uses to attract the attention of its users. They first started with TV commercials in which they showcased everyday life situations and what happens when the ‘Cricket ka keeda’ bites people. In ‘Cricket ka keeda’ they telecasted a milk advertisement, in which the husband slips the milk packet by throwing it on his wife’s head and is busy watching the live scores on the Cricbuzz website. Also, they showcased a commercial in which a cricket enthusiast, enters his classroom in a towel watching the live match on the Cricbuzz app. The company targets young smartphone users and also cricket lovers as their audience. They give them the latest updates through live match videos and commentary with the option of recording and rewinding to watch their favorite shots again. This helped the company attract a lot of customers to the mobile app.
Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube have helped them bring live match updates and share rich content on their website. The company saw a huge growth in the social media users using their social media platforms mostly YouTube and Twitter for watching the live scores. Cricbuzz is growing over social media platforms. They have also started posting small video clips of cricketers after every match or tournament on their YouTube channel, and users can access them by searching for the clips of their favorite players.
Cricbuzz’s social media strategy focuses on real-time updates, interactive content, and video storytelling to keep cricket fans engaged. It provides live scores, match highlights, polls, quizzes, and memes across platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. The brand uses trending hashtags, short-form videos, and influencer collaborations with cricketers and analysts to boost engagement. By personalizing content and using strategic notifications, Cricbuzz ensures fans stay connected and engaged, making it a dominant company in cricket media.
Cricbuzz Marketing – Commentary
Cricbuzz has come up with a new concept of live commentary during the match. They offer commentary in two languages Hindi and English, which provides the company with a diversified audience who listen to both languages. Commentary is a way to provide inaccessible information to the viewers promptly and to enhance their viewing experience. By giving watchers the information they need and a clear way to think more about the game, Cricbuzz played very well. They started giving the commentary and also gave the written notes in the comments box section to let them read it afterward. This helped them achieve major success in their domain.
Cricket’s audience is always hungry for great cricket stories. So Cricbuzz came up with their original web series, Spicy Pitch which featured top cricketers telling stories about their life journey from the start of their career to becoming a successful and top cricketer in the Indian team. The show is based on the cricketers reciting their lives in their own words and a tagline was attached to the show ‘Apni Kahaani, ApniZubaani’. The show was a great success for the Cricbuzz family as the viewers loved listening to their favorite cricketers telling how and from where they started and how much practice, dedication, and hard work it takes to be in their position. Spicy Pitch helped Cricbuzz to grow into a premier OTT platform that not only provides the best news on cricket but also the best entertainment on its platform for viewers.
Spicy Pitch
Cricbuzz Marketing – IPL Song
#AbCricketBuzzega
IPL (INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE) is a massive event for Indian cricket fans, but in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it wasn’t sure if IPL would be conducted or not. It was that time when the news came out that IPL would be played, Cricbuzz started working on its strategy to make the audience get out of the lockdown boredom and thus came up with a Rap song before IPL 2020. They worked on the rap song and came up with a short video with the phrase ‘Ab Cricket Buzzega’. In the video, they show how a cricket fan is getting bored due to the conditions outside, and as the video reaches its climax, Cricbuzz shows the excitement using some cricket phrases, that come every year with the IPL by using their Cricbuzz’s latest update and live commentary. Also, the marketing campaign was quite refreshing and gave hope to raise the spirits of viewers with the same old excitement they had before the COVID-19 pandemic with Cricbuzz.
Cricbuzz is a company that focuses more on its audience and cricket. They plan their strategies according to the viewer’s needs. Cricbuzz has achieved many major milestones during its journey till now and no doubt has added every media platform to its strategy to make it a big success.
FAQs
Who is CEO of Cricbuzz?
Pankaj Chhaparwal is the CEO of Cricbuzz.
Who owns Cricbuzz?
Cricbuzz is owned by Times Internet.
Who is Cricbuzz founder?
Pankaj Chhaparwal, Piyush Agrawal, and Pravin Hegde have created Cricbuzz.
Company Profile is an initiative by StartupTalky to publish verified information on different startups and organizations.
We all love watching and playing cricket right? “Cricket is my favorite sport” yelled a guy from that corner. Of course yes, it’s almost the entire Indian’s favorite sport! Imagine when the IPL‘s last over is on and there’s a power cut. Can you imagine how annoying, it’s for you, me, or any cricket lover?
Anyway, no worries about that anymore. Cricbuzz is an Indian cricket news platform. It will provide you with all the desired news you want, in case of a power cut or you might be out of the station without a television.
Learn more about Cricbuzz, its founders, business and revenue model, startup story, growth, revenue, challenges, and more.
How Cricbuzz became the Biggest Cricketing News Sensation
Cricbuzz – Company Highlights
Company Name
Cricbuzz
Headquarters
Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Founders
Pankaj Chhaparwal, Piyush Agarwal, and Pravin Hegde
Cricbuzz is an Indian cricket news website owned by Times Internet. It features articles, news, and live coverage of cricket matches. This includes scorecards, videos, text commentary, team rankings, and player stats. This website also provides a mobile app. Cricbuzz is one of the most popular mobile apps for cricket news and scores in India.
Cricbuzz Logo
Cricbuzz – Founders And Team
Pankaj Chhaparwal, Piyush Agarwal, and Pravin Hegde are the founders of Cricbuzz.
Pankaj Chhaparwal | Founder and CEO, Cricbuzz
Pankaj Chhaparwal is the founder and CEO of Cricbuzz. He has beenworking here from the beginning itself. He pursued his education at L D College of Engineering, Gujarat University.
STAR has taken Piyush Agarwal. He pursued his education at the Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University.
Pravin Hegde is the co-founder and CTO at Cricbuzz.
Sarah Waris is a Freelance Contributor at Cricbuzz. She joined the company in March 2019.
Abhideep Das is the Content Strategist and the Senior Producer at Cricbuzz. Before he was the Creative Producer of Digital Content for Kolkata Knight Riders. He was also an Editorial Consultant at Bayside Media Private Limited.
Cricbuzz – Owner
Times Internet is the owner of Cricbuzz. Times Internet is India’s largest digital products company. Its subsidiaries include Economic Times, Bangalore Mirror, Gaana, MX Player, MensXP, Times of India, Cricbuzz, IndiaTimes, CricPlay, Databack, Dineout, ETMoney, and more.
Times Internet – Cricbuzz Owner
Cricbuzz – Startup Story And History
Three former Infosys employees started Cricbuzz. In November 2014, Times Internet, part of the Times of India group, bought a big share in Cricbuzz.
In January 2015, Times Internet merged its cricket platform, GoCricket, with Cricbuzz. GoCricket’s website started redirecting users to Cricbuzz, and the GoCricket mobile app was also combined with Cricbuzz.
Later, in August 2015, Cricbuzz sponsored the India-Sri Lanka test series.
Cricbuzz’s business model is mainly concerned with giving updated scores of the matches. It sells to OnMobile which has got a relationship with different mobile operators. Under this, users get the latest live score updates for a charge. This is the primary source of their income. Other than this source, the company runs various advertisements on its platform, which is also a source of revenue generation for the company. The company is in a partnership with InMobi to monetize mobile advertisements.
Cricbuzz makes money mainly through advertising and sponsorships:
Advertising: Cricbuzz earns a lot from display and video ads on its platform. Cricbuzz grabs a huge amount via Adsense and Admob on its site and app. The strategic placement of advertisements in a user-friendly manner near the content helps Cricbuzz Monetize.
Sponsorships: Big brands like Google, ESPN, Star Sports, BCCI, and ICC partner with Cricbuzz. These deals bring in more money, boost trust, and help Cricbuzz create more content.
High-Traffic Platform: Cricbuzz has many cricket fans visiting its platform, making it a great choice for advertisers.
Cricbuzz’s revenue modelmainly revolves around Advertisements something ubiquitous from which the companies usually earn. It also earns through the display of the Cricbuzz scores on Hike Messenger. Cricbuzz creates value for users, which also promotes itself to customers.
It also earns money by sharing live cricket scores with telecom operators. These operators send score updates as messages to their users. Google AdSense also plays a big role in helping Cricbuzz make money.
Cricbuzz Financials
Metrics
FY 2019-20
FY 2018-19
FY 2017-18
FY 2016-17
FY 2015-16
Revenue
INR 156.6 crore
INR 133 crore
INR 97.3 crore
INR 70.5 crore
INR 66.4 crore
EBITDA
INR 70.6 crore
INR 69.6 crore
INR 41.4 crore
INR 15.4 crore
INR 18.7 crore
Net Profit
INR 49.9 crore
INR 48.6 crore
INR 25.8 crore
INR 11 crore
INR 11.6 crore
Cricbuzz Financials
Cricbuzz’s revenue grew steadily from INR 66.4 crore in FY 2015-16 to INR 156.6 crore in FY 2019-20. Its EBITDA also rose from INR 18.7 crore to INR 70.6 crore during the same period. Net profit increased from INR 11.6 crore in FY 2015-16 to INR 49.9 crore in FY 2019-20, showing strong financial growth over the years.
Cricbuzz – Achievements
With 496.25M organic traffic, Cricbuzz was ranked 26th worldwide by RankRanger for The Top Websites by Organic Rank.
In October 2019, the company was ranked 406 globally.
It was ranked 40 in India by Alexa Internet.
The site was the 7th most searched site in India for the year 2014.
The mobile app has over 100 million downloads and more for October 2019.
The website is used by more than 50 million users all over the world. It generated 2.6 billion page views in January 2015. Unbelievable!
The top competitors of the company are the International Cricket Council, ESPNcricinfo, Cricket Exchange, and Onecricket.
The International Cricket Council is the world governing body of cricket.
ESPNcricinfo is a sports news website only for the game of cricket.
Cricket Exchange provides its users with the fastest Live scores. With accurate Odds and sessions and everything. It keeps the users in touch with cricket.
Onecricket is something more than fantasy sports. It’s the best platform to follow cricket games, compete with your friends, and showcase your cricket knowledge.
Cricbuzz – Growth
During the 2015 World Cup. Cricbuzz was the most used cricket score website for cricketing news and updates. The company also received a massive number of visitors during the World Cup at a time. It was the most desired destination of all cricket lovers on mobile with over 1 billion visits during the World Cup alone.
Cricbuzz – Creative Marketing Strategy and Active Social Media Presence
To increase its popularity out of the circle of cricket fans, Cricbuzz started a social media campaign “Strategic Timeout”. Strategic Timeout is called out by IPL teams during mid-game to reformulate the strategy. The content was based on how social media influencers used the lockdown period strategically. This content leads the influencer followers to the Cricbuzz app and social media pages.
Social Media Campaigns by Cricbuzz
Cricbuzz has very active and interactive social media pages. It keeps posting new challenges and campaigns along with cricket world updates and talks. Some of the challenges are “Guess the champion”, “Strategic Timeout”, “Mask India” and “AbCricketBuzzega”. To hype up the upcoming season of IPL 2020 Cricbuzz recorded a rap “AbCricketBuzzega”.
There was a possibility. There is a possibility. And there will always be a possibility to pump up money through cricket. Pitches are always the priority in this aspect. Now we see advanced synthetic pitches. These are used for shorter formats. A tinge of grass and sponge pitch is required for bowlers. This kind of thing will make the sport more interesting than before. Of course, it needs deep and strategic planning. Games are suspended due to rain. Soon, there will be closed-roof stadiums to avoid the most annoying part of live cricket.
Cricbuzz is a popular website and mobile application that provides up-to-date news, scores, and statistics for cricket matches around the world. It is a reliable source of information for cricket fans and offers a wide range of features such as live scores, commentary, and player profiles. It is considered one of the most popular cricket websites which provides all the information related to cricket.
FAQs
Who are the Cricbuzz founders?
Pankaj Chhaparwal, Piyush Agarwal, and Pravin Hedge are the founders of Cricbuzz.
How does Cricbuzz make money?
Cricbuzz grabs a huge amount via Adsense and Admob on its site and app. The strategic placement of advertisements in a user-friendly manner near the content helps Cricbuzz Monetize.
Who owns Cricbuzz?
Pankaj Chhaparwal, Piyush Agarwal, and Pravin Hegde are the founders of Cricbuzz. Times Internet is the Parent Organisation/Owner of Cricbuzz.
Who are the Top Competitors of Cricbuzz?
The top competitors of Cricbuzz are the International Cricket Council, ESPNcricinfo, Cricket Exchange, and Onecricket.
How much is Cricbuzz’s Revenue?
Cricbuzz’s Revenue is nearly $22 million as of 2020.
How does Cricbuzz website work?
The Cricbuzz website features articles, news, and live coverage of cricket matches. This includes scorecards, videos, text commentary, team rankings, and player seats.
In order to expedite the antitrust clearance process for their $8.5 billion merger of Indian media holdings, Reliance and Walt Disney have reportedly offered to sell some channels. However, they are reportedly fighting any adjustments made to the cricket broadcast rights that they own.
With a combined 120 TV channels and two streaming services, the Reliance-Disney merger, which was announced in February, is sure to be closely watched by antitrust experts. This is because it will result in creating India’s largest entertainment platform, locking horns directly with Sony, Netflix, Amazon, and Zee Entertainment.
The Merger Will Have an Upper Hand
Many are worried about the combined business’s pricing power and its influence on advertisers, especially since Reliance, owned by Asia’s wealthiest man Mukesh Ambani, will own a majority stake in the combined entity. The combined company will also own valuable cricket broadcasting rights worth billions of dollars.
Reliance and Disney have informed the Competition Commission of India (CCI) that they are prepared to sell a small number of television channels (less than ten) in order to allay fears of market dominance and secure early clearance, after the watchdog’s secret requests for approximately one hundred questions pertaining to the merger. There are other stipulations that pertain to regional Indian language channels that the two firms might control.
This Is Not the First Time Such a Merger Is Happening
During the year 2022, Zee and Sony made an offer to sell three television stations in order to create a television behemoth in India that would be worth ten billion dollars. However, despite the fact that this helped them get clearance from the CCI, the merger ultimately failed.
The notification that was issued by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to approve that merger included information about the competitive landscape. The notification revealed that in the local language of Marathi, Disney and Reliance channels had a combined market share of between 65 and 75 per cent at that time. A market share of up to 50 per cent was held by the two with regard to Bengali language entertainment channels.
Cricketing Rights Play a Vital Role
Cricket is an additional area of disagreement in the merger procedure. In India, the sport has a devoted fan base, making the matches highly desirable for sponsors.
The Indian Premier League (IPL), the most prestigious cricket event in the world, and other major leagues’ digital and television cricket rights would be owned by Reliance-Disney.
So far, the CCI has not voiced any worries about the firms’ market strength in cricket rights, but the corporations have argued with the CCI that the rights cannot be sold at the moment because they expire in 2027 and 2028.
According to a report, the corporations are also worried that the approval process could be prolonged because the Indian cricket body would have to approve any sub-licencing of cricket rights.
With the ICC World Cup 2024 underway, cricket fans everywhere are glued to their televisions and smartphones, ready to witness all the thrilling matches. Everything that has been presented during live broadcasts is merely the surface of what lies beneath; an entire ecosystem is responsible for these broadcasts. Companies just make sure that every touchpoint has been examined, starting from securing media rights from the ICC and airing the matches.
The media rights to air the broadcasting firm purchases any ICC events for a substantial sum. The corporation then makes money through advertisements or by negotiating contracts with co-sponsors. Since the vast majority of Indians are avid cricket fans, many firms have spent a lot of money on securing media rights for the Indian market. This presents a fantastic potential for them to increase their revenues even higher.
Disney Star All Eyes up for More Than 1600 CR Ad Sales
Disney Star, the official media rights holder for this season’s ICC Men’s T20 cricket World Cup, is expected to earn approximately INR 1,600-1,800 crore in advertising income, comparable to the amount they made during the last event in Australia two years ago. Forecasts indicate that the broadcaster’s advertising roster will mirror that of the current Indian Premier League. Disney Star anticipates winning over prominent sponsors like those seen in the BCCI-backed cricket tournament IPL, even though it is still inking deals and is in the final stages of selling around 40% of its advertising spot inventory already.
Ajit Varghese, the executive vice president of advertisement sales, stated that broadcasters have witnessed a notable increase in interest in the gaming, banking, and finance services sectors inside cricket, both last year and this year. Additionally, industrial items and infrastructure will also prove to be formidable categories for advertisements. Interestingly, fast-moving consumer goods businesses’ contributions to cricket revenue have increased from single digits to significant double digits.
ICC Cricket Rankings: Leading Men’s TWENTY20 Countries Worldwide as of May 2024
Disney Star Is Reshaping the T20 World Cup Advertising Pricing
Disney Star has reduced advertising fees for the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in comparison to the 2022 tournament. The television network is requesting prices from advertisers of more than INR 6.2 lakh for each 10-second spot, with spot buyers paying an additional INR 6.4 lakh per spot. For the 2022 event, the broadcaster asked sponsors and spot buyers for ad rates of between INR 9 to 10 lakh, respectively.
Advertisements for each Twenty20 World Cup game fell 47% from the previous year, according to a recently published media report. The Disney Star is requesting donations of more than INR 60 million from co-presenting sponsors for both SD and HD channels, after successfully bidding $3 billion for the 2024–27 cycle to acquire media rights in India.
Disney Star has recently disclosed its 19 sponsors for the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Dream 11, Maruti, AMFI, Parle Products, BPCL, Haier, ICICI Bank, Jockey, KP Group (Kamala Pasand), Reliance Retail, Samsung India, Housing.com, Jaquar Group, Castrol, Kent RO, TVS Eurogrip, Macho Hint, and McNroe are some of the brands that are included in this category. In addition to the knockout matches, it is anticipated that the match between India and Pakistan that will take place on June 9 will be the most watched match of the tournament.
This diversified set of sponsors demonstrates the longstanding popularity of cricket as well as the strategic importance of sports consumption and the supply of creative content. As preparations are being made for this monumental event, we are looking forward to an incredible celebration of cricket that will bring together ardent fans and players from all over the world, Varghese said.
The matches will be broadcast solely on the Star Sports network, and they will be accessible to mobile subscribers of Disney+ Hotstar for free streaming.
FAQs
Where is the ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2024?
The ICC Men’s ODI World Cup 2024 is in The United States and West Indies from June 1 to June 29.
What is the prize money for winning the 2024 T20 World Cup?
The International Cricket Council has announced a record prize of USD 11.25 million (approximately INR 93.5 crore) for the 2024 T20 World Cup.
How many teams are there in the T20 World Cup 2024?
There are 20 teams which are divided into four groups in the T20 World Cup 2024.
Since the beginning of the Indian Premier League in 2008, its value has grown by leaps and bounds over the 15 years. The ecosystem of Men’s IPL has registered a 75% growth since 2020, which stood at USD 10.9 billion in 2022, thus joining India’s Decacorn club.
After the auction for the 16th season of IPL, Jay Shah, Secretary of BCCI, said that IPL is the 2nd most valued sporting league in the world in terms of per-match value, with a brand worth USD 1.3 billion.
For the IPL 2023, below is the detailed list of the brands that are sponsoring IPL 2023—
Since DLF’s conclusion as the title sponsor in 2012, the Indian Premier League has seen a change in title sponsors. Until 2021 VIVO was IPL’s title sponsor, but in 2022, the Tata Group replaced Chinese mobile manufacturer Vivo as the title sponsor of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the 2022 and 2023 seasons. Tata has had a Title Sponsorship agreement with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for two years, which was worth INR 670 crore.
The India-based fantasy sports website, Dream11, is the leading online fantasy gaming platform. It entered into an agreement with the IPL as its official sponsor in March 2019– for four years.
Saudi Tourism Authority
In February 2023, the Saudi Tourism Authority (STA) and IPL agreed to a partnership to be the official partner, causing the STA to make its first sponsorship deal with the government of a foreign country.
CRED
On a three-year deal, CRED was signed as one of the IPL’s Official Partners in September 2020. CRED is a Bangalore-headquartered credit card payment company, and as per the contract, they offer special discounts and access to premium experiences to IPL viewers and encourage them to clear their debts and improve their credit scores.
Upstox
Upstox— a trading service for commodities and stocks— is one of India’s fastest-growing online brokerage firms that was announced as an Official Partner of the IPL in March 2021, which will continue till the 2023 season.
Herbalife
Premier global nutrition company Herbalife has more than 40 years of expertise in nurturing potential in everyone and is a reputable leader in the nutrition industry. The company has inked a partnership deal with the BCCI for the 2023 IPL season.
RuPay
RuPay, a global financial services and payment system, is the flagship product of the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). In March 2022, RuPay was announced as an official partner of the IPL. It was reported that RuPayhad paid approximately ₹140 crore over two years and has entered the last year of its contract with the 2023 IPL season.
Swiggy Instamart
Swiggy Instamart, India’s leading quick commerce grocery service, became the official partner for the 2022 season of the TATA IPL tournament. The online food ordering and delivery platform became the IPL’s sixth official on-ground sponsor.
Official Broadcast Partner— Star Sports
Disney Star retained and renewed their TV rights for the 2023 to 2027 season, which were sold for USD 6.2 billion by the BCCI. The deal made IPL the second most valuable tournament in the world, after the NFL.
Official Digital Streaming Partner—JioCinema
JioCinema is owned by Viacom18 and is the digital media rights holder of the Tata IPL 2023. After Viacom18 outbid Disney Star and won the exclusive five-year digital rights of the league for the 2023–27 cycle by paying a whopping US$2.7 billion, it was announced that the IPL 2023 matches would be streamed for free on the company’s JioCinema and has broken records in viewership and app downloads— the concurrent viewership is touching a peak of 2.4 crore viewers.
Official Umpire Partner (INR 28 crores) — Paytm
The Noida-based, Indian fintech company specializing in digital payments and financial services has been the IPL’s Official Umpire Partner since March 2018.
Orange Cap and Purple Cap Partner—Aramco
The Saudi Arabian oil firm, Aramco, is one of the largest integrated energy and chemical corporations. And recently, the company has announced its return as the Official Orange and Purple Caps Partner for IPL 2023. With a reported deal worth ₹65 crores, it is the Official Orange and Purple Caps Partner for the 2023 IPL season.
Strategic Timeout Partner (INR 30 crores) —CEAT
India’s top tire company and the main business of the RPG GROUP, CEAT, has been the Official Strategic Timeout Partner of the IPL since April 2018.
Assistant Sponsors—
Vodafone, Yes Bank, Freecharge, Maruti Suzuki, CEAT Tyres, Tata Sky, Coca-Cola, Vimal Pan Masala, Amazon, OPPO, Park Avenue, Moov
Chennai Super Kings Sponsors List
Chennai Super Kings Sponsors List
Principal Partners
TVS Eurogrip, India Cements, Gulf, British Empire, SNJ 10000, Reliance Jio, Nippon Paint, Astral Pipes
Digital Partners
Aqilliz
Official Partners
Garuda Aerospace, Vision11, ICICI Bank, Coca-Cola, Sunfeast Supermilk
Merchandise Partners
FanCraze, FanPlay IoT, PlayR
Mumbai Indians Sponsors List
Mumbai Indians Sponsors List
Principal Partners
Slice, DHL Express
Associate Partners
Marriott Bonvoy, Reliance Jio, Astral Pipes, IDFC FIRST Bank
Official Partners
USHA International, Dream11, BKT, Performax, TeamViewer, Bira9, Bisleri, JioCinema, ACKO, DNA Network, Radio City 91.1 FM, Fever 104 FM, and My FM
Official Suv Partner
Mahindra & Mahindra
Merchandise Partners
Celio, Chupps, Cybeart, EUME, FanCode, Plaeto, PlayR, Shop The Arena
Kolkata Knight Riders Sponsors List
Kolkata Knight Riders Sponsors List
Principal Sponsors
BKT, MyFab11
Official Sponsors
Reliance Jio, Joy Personal Care, Lux Cozi, Acko, Royal Green, Money9, SRMB Steel, 1 Finance, and Wrogn
FanCraze, Bira 91, Dream11, BKT, FanCode Shop, Fever 104 FM, JioCinema, FanCraze, EUME, Bisleri, Medulance, Big Ant Studios, Punjabi Fever 107.2 FM, HRX, Karan & Moin, Asian, Amul Organic
Exclusive Ticketing Partner
PayTM
Lucknow SuperGiants Sponsors List
Lucknow SuperGiants Sponsors List
Title sponsor
My11 Circle
Principal Sponsors
Reliance Jio, Too Yumm, Greenply, Hero Vida, Shyam Steel
Associate Sponsors
Prayag, Somany Ceramics
Official Partners
FanCraze, Alcis Sports, Royal Challenge, Kingfisher Premium, Dr. Vaidya’s, Campa Cola, Macmerise, Astral Adhesive
Exclusive Radio Partner
Radio City 91.1 FM
Official Ticketing Partner
Paytm Insider
Other Sponsors
The Souled Store, Spencer’s Retail
Kit Sponsor
T10
Conclusion
Indian Premier League is one of the most popular T20 cricket leagues in the world captivating millions of viewers. This widespread appeal has made famous brands from all over the world want to work with the IPL and be associated with it.
Rishi Mundra
Ashwini
