Highest Paid IPL Player in 2021

Highest Paid IPL Player – The Indian Premier League is the most-watched cricket league in the world. It was founded in 2007 on the back of India’s historic T20 World Cup win. The auctions of the IPL 2021 were held on 18^th February 2021 in Chennai. The league was suspended indefinitely by BCCI on May 4 as several Covid cases appeared across franchises. It will resume on 18 September. The final will take place on 15 October.

Highest Paid IPL Player

The tournament has grown swiftly, and its brand value runs into billions of dollars. There is huge prize money at stake for the winners and other teams that qualify for the play-offs. Indian players and top talents around the world compete in the annual event and command a considerable fee. Let us revisit the top 5 highest paid players in IPL 2021.

1. Chris Morris – Rajasthan Royals – INR 16.25 crore

 The South African goes about his business with a stern look on his face. He has the ability to change the game with both bat and ball. The bowling all-rounder is a hit-the-deck sort of bowler who generates good bounce. A dangerous batsman lower down the order; he has two fifties to his name in the IPL. He has also picked up 94 wickets from 77 games. Morris has represented the Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals, and the Royal Challengers Bangalore. Morris has always collected big cheques, but this year he smashed all records. He surpassed Yuvraj Singh to become the most expensive IPL buy ever. Starting at the base price of INR 75 lakh, the 34-year-old was sold for a staggering INR 16.25 crore.

2. Kyle Jamieson – RCB – INR 15 crore

The Kiwi hails from the wonderful city of Auckland. The 6 feet 8 inches giant sends the ball from the sky and troubles the batsmen with bounce and precision. He is already making significant strides in the Test arena. He is good with the bat and could become an important all-rounder for New Zealand in all formats of the game. This is his first season in the IPL. His base price was set at INR 75 lakh, but the Royal Challengers Bangalore went on to secure his services for INR 15 crore. Jamieson thus became the fourth most expensive buy in IPL history. He has done reasonably well this season, picking up 9 wickets from 7 games. 

3. Glenn Maxwell – RCB – INR 14.25 crore

The Australian is tailor-made for the shortest format of the game. Nicknamed ‘The Big Show’, he is known for his innovative and sometimes outrageous shot-making. He bats in the middle order and provides impetus to the innings in the death overs. He bowls useful off-spin and is a spectacular gun fielder too. Maxwell made his IPL debut for Delhi Daredevils in 2012. He later represented the Mumbai Indians and the Kings XI Punjab. In IPL 2014, he was awarded the title of MVP (most valuable player). This year, he was part of a bidding war between the Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore. RCB purchased the services of the all-rounder for INR 14.25 crore.    

4. Jhye Richardson – Punjab Kings – INR 14 crore

The Aussies have always been a big part of the Indian Premier League. Richardson is a right-arm fast bowler. He is one of the leading wicket-takers in the Big Bash League Down Under. 2021 would be his debut season in the IPL. The Punjab Kings entered the 2021 auction carrying the biggest purse. Last year was a bit disappointing as they finished 6^th but had some great run-scorers in their ranks. Their core issue was in the bowling department. This year they have tried to address that by buying Richardson and Riley Meredith. RCB and Delhi capitals were also interested in the Aussie speedster. His base price was INR 1.5 crore, but he will take home a handsome fee of INR 14 crore. Describing the bid as ‘life-changing,’ Richardson is now ready to test his mettle under pressure in the biggest T20 league in the World.

5. Krishnappa Gowtham – CSK – INR 9.25 crore

Gowtham was the surprise package of this year’s auction. His bowling style bears an uncanny resemblance to his idol, Harbhajan Singh. He is also an explosive lower-order batsman who can send the ball a long way. The Karnataka all-rounder has been a part of the Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals, and Kings XI Punjab. In the 24 games he has played so far, he has taken 13 wickets and amassed 186 runs at an impressive strike-rate. Chennai Super Kings recruited him this year for INR 9.25 crore. He thus became the most expensive uncapped player in IPL’s history. He is yet to feature in a game in the 2021 season. It will be interesting to see whether he can live up to the price tag when given a chance. 

Who is the highest paid player in IPL 2021?

Chris Morris is on top of the list of highest-paid players of IPL 2021. He is the most expensive buy in the history of the IPL, surpassing even the likes of Ben Stokes, Yuvraj Singh, Glenn Maxwell, etc. T20 requires players who can change the game in a short span of time, and Morris can do just that. Not only a proven wicket-taker, but he is also a clean striker of the ball who can clear boundaries at will. The Rajasthan Royals purchased the South African for a whopping INR 16.25 crore. 

How much do IPL players get paid in 2021?

IPL is a lucrative tournament for all involved. Most Cricketers get paid more than they make annually with their national team contracts.  The base price for uncapped players is set at INR 20-50 lakhs, and for established players, it is between INR 50 -150 lakhs. However, the actual bid price of top talents usually runs in several crores. MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma earn INR 15 crore. Manish Pandey, Suresh Raina, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya take home INR 11 crore. International stars like Steve Smith, AB de Villiers, Pat Cummins all earn upwards of 10 crores.

Who is the most expensive player in 2021?

Rajasthan Royals purchased Chris Morris for a grand sum of INR 16.25 crore. However, Indian skipper and all-time great Virat Kohli is the most expensive player in IPL 2021. Royal Challengers Bangalore retained his services for INR 17 crores. RCB have also purchased Kyle Jamieson, and Glenn Maxwell for hefty prices, and this could finally be their year.