Rishabh Pant, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. (Pic Credit – X)

NEW DELHI: Star Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has overtaken stalwarts like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma to become the highest-paid Indian cricketer, thanks to his impressive IPL and BCCI contracts.
After being bought for an unprecedented Rs 27 crore by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the recently-concluded IPL 2025 mega auction, Pant got a cracking deal and the top salary in the Indian Premier League. Pant is the frontrunner to lead LSG in the upcoming IPL 2025 season, which kicks off on March 14.

Additionally, Pant’s Grade B contract with the BCCI, worth Rs 3 crore annually, further adds to his financial dominance. The combined Rs 30 crore annual earnings place Pant ahead of Kohli and Rohit, who also enjoy lucrative contracts but fall short of his total package.
It is important to note that Pant got BCCI’s Grade B contract as he was in the process of returning from a long injury layoff at the time of the announcement. However, given his representation of India across all three formats, Pant is widely expected to be promoted to the Grade A+ or Grade A category in the next contract cycle, elevating his annual BCCI salary further.

Both Kohli and Rohit currently hold Grade A+ contracts under the BCCI’s annual contract system for the 2023-24 season, earning Rs 7 crore each per year. Ahead of the mega auction, Kohli was retained by Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) for Rs 21 crore, while Rohit was retained by Mumbai Indians (MI) for Rs 16.3 crore.
When their BCCI salaries are combined with their IPL retainers, Kohli’s total annual earnings amount to Rs 28 crore, and Rohit’s to Rs 23.3 crore. Both figures fall short of Pant’s total income from playing contracts, making him the highest-paid Indian cricketer.
Pant’s meteoric rise in Indian cricket, coupled with his leadership and match-winning abilities, has made him a financial and sporting powerhouse.