List Of Top 10 Highest Paid IPL Players Ever Till 2026 Revealed; Virat Kohli Tops Chart

Originally posted on CricketGully | Last updated May 20, 2026 12:31 PM ET

The IPL, launched in 2008, has grown into one of the most profitable sporting leagues across the globe and it is not surprising that a few cricketers, both Indian and foreign, have become millionaires while the franchises spend hundreds of crores on players each season.

According to Fanatic Sports and Hurun India, Former RCB captain Virat Kohli is leading the charts as the highest-paid player in IPL history until 2026. He has earned an astounding sum of Rs 230.2 crore in his entire IPL career, most of which has been for his consistent services with the Bengaluru-based franchise, Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Kohli, who was signed by RCB in 2008 as an Under-19 player for just Rs 12 lakh, is the only player to have represented just one team throughout all the 19 editions of the IPL. Prior to IPL 2026, he was retained for a hefty sum of Rs 21 crore, making him the highest-paid player in IPL history until 2026.

Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni Follow Kohli

The former Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma is the second highest-paid Indian player, having earned Rs 227.2 crore. The most successful IPL captain MS Dhoni, on the other hand, stands third on the podium with Rs 200.3 crore earned so far.

The trilogy, Kohli, Rohit and Dhoni, are the only cricketers to earn over Rs 200 crore in the IPL and are followed by the likes of Ravindra Jadeja, Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya. Sunil Narine, being the only overseas player in the top ten, is the highest-paid foreign cricketer.

KKR Becomes Most Valuable IPL Team

According to a report on the value of all IPL franchises until 2026, KKR has taken the top spot with Rs 19,200 crore, ahead of MI and CSK which are placed second and third respectively, having both garnered a value of around 18,400 crore. The sum value of the 10 franchises currently stands at a humongous Rs 1.63 lakh crore.