The global cricket scene is heating up, and so are the paychecks for top players. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently unveiled its 2024-25 central contract list, revealing the hefty sums Indian cricketers can bank. But how do their salaries stack up against other cricketing nations?
Cricketing Cash: A Global Comparison
The BCCI categorizes its players into four grades, with A+ players raking in ₹7 crore annually. Grade A players earn ₹5 crore, while those in Grade B and C take home ₹3 crore and ₹1 crore, respectively. But India’s not the only player in the game – let’s look at what other countries are paying their cricket stars.
* Australia: Cricket Australia recently hiked contract amounts by 7.5%. Top Australian players can now earn up to ₹25 crore per year, with an average salary of around ₹8.1 crore.
* Pakistan: Pakistan’s four-tier system pays Grade A players ₹1.6 crore, Grade B ₹1.1 crore, and Grade C ₹64.5 lakh.
* South Africa: Salaries here are performance-based, ranging from ₹64 lakh to ₹1.7 crore.
* New Zealand: Kiwi cricketers enjoy a five-year deal with promotions, potentially earning up to ₹2.6 crore.
More Than Just a Game
Other cricketing nations are also shelling out big bucks.
* Bangladesh’s top players (Grade A+) can earn ₹84 lakh, while Grade A players take home ₹67 lakh.
* England’s senior players can rake in ₹9 crore annually, plus ₹14 lakh per Test match and ₹5 lakh per white-ball match.
* Sri Lanka’s top cricketers can earn between ₹60 lakh and ₹85 lakh per year, depending on performance.
* West Indies players can bank ₹2 crore to ₹2.5 crore annually, based on their contract and match fees.
* Afghanistan’s cricketers receive a monthly salary of ₹1 lakh to ₹2.8 lakh, with additional match fees – ₹3 lakh per T20 World Cup match.
These figures show that cricket is big business, with top players across the globe commanding impressive salaries.