IPL: Top 10 Overseas Players With Highest Combined Earnings So Far

The inception of the Indian Premier League [IPL] in 2008 has proceeded to change the landscape of the game like no one would have ever imagined.

Not only it has brought more money into the game, but it has also proceeded to be a platform where talent meets opportunity. And, not only Indian cricketers, foreign cricketers especially from countries like South Africa, New Zealand, and the West Indies, have also hugely benefited from it.

Here’s a look at the Top 10 overseas players who have the highest combined earnings thus far in the history of IPL:

10 – Chris Gayle – Rs 58,56,57,000

The ‘Universe Boss’ Chris Gayle will go down as not only the greatest T20 batsman of all time but also one of the greatest-ever to feature in the IPL.

A constant figure in the IPL since its inception, Chris Gayle holds the record for most sixes (357), fastest hundred (30 balls), highest individual score (175), most sixes in a single season (59 in 2012), and the second-most runs by an overseas player in the cash-rich league.

Chris Gayle is the 7th highest run-getter in IPL history, having smashed 4950 runs in 139 innings at an average of 40.24 and a strike rate of 149.45 with 31 50s and 6 three-digit scores.

No wonder, he is one of the highest overseas earners in the IPL, having accumulated a whopping Rs 58,56,57,000 thus far.

Also Read: 5 Players Who Are A Part Of The IPL 100-Crore Club

9- David Miller – Rs 58,99,54,000

South Africa’s ‘Killer Miller’ is at the 9th spot when it comes to the highest overseas earners.

The Proteas swashbuckler has been a constant in the IPL since he made his debut for the Punjab Kings (Kings XI Punjab) in the 2012 season.

Miller impinged himself as one of the bedrocks of the Punjab batting unit in the succeeding years before a slump in form saw him get released and eventually bought by Rajasthan Royals in the 2019 auction.

The southpaw, who has earned as many as Rs 58,99,54,000 thus far since 2012, has featured in 86 IPL games and has racked up 1952 runs at an average of 33.66 and a strike rate of 138.15 with 10 50s and 1 hundred.

8)- Chris Morris – Rs 59,1793,750

Morris sent social media ablaze earlier this year when he became the most expensive cricketer to be ever bought in an IPL auction.

The seam-bowling all-rounder was picked up by his former franchise Rajasthan Royals for a staggering amount of Rs 16.25 Crores.

Morris has raked in the moolah ever since he started playing in the IPL. He was picked by the Chennai Super Kings for Rs 3.32 Crore in the 2013 auction before being bought by Rajasthan Royals for Rs 1.4 Crore in the following season.

He was then picked by the Delhi Capitals for Rs 7 Crore in next year’s auction. Morris spent the next four years at DC before he was released ahead of the 2019 auction.

The Virat Kohli-led unit bought his services for Rs 10 Crore in the following auction but once again he was released after the season. The rest, as they say, is history as Morris became the highest-earning overseas cricketer in the 2021 auction.

As far as his IPL stats are concerned, Chris Morris has featured in 77 games in which he has smashed 599 runs at a strike rate of 157.63 besides claiming 94 wickets at an average of 22.8 and an economy rate of 7.89.

7)- Glenn Maxwell -Rs  63,42,75,400

Maxwell became the million-dollar baby in 2013 after he was picked up by Mumbai Indians for Rs 5.3 Crore. 

He was then picked up by KXIP for Rs 6 Crore in 2014 which parachuted to Rs 9 Crore when he was racked up by Delhi Capitals in 2018.

The Australian all-rounder continued his upward surge as he was picked up by Punjab Kings again in the 2019 auction for Rs 10.75 crore.

However, Maxwell once again failed to justify his billing as he managed just over 100 runs in the season without hitting a single six.

He was subsequently released ahead of the mini-auction where he once again raked in the moolah as RCB shelled out Rs 14.25 Crore for his services.

However, unlike previous seasons, Glenn Maxwell justified his prize tag in the now-suspended 14th season. In 7 games, Maxwell racked up 223 runs at an average of 37.16 and a strike rate of 144.80.

6- Ben Stokes – Rs 64,50,00,000

England all-rounder Ben Stokes scripted history in his very first IPL auction as he became the most expensive overseas player to be ever picked in the auction.

Following a bidding war, Stokes was racked up by the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant for a whopping Rs 14.5 Crore and the all-rounder lived up to the billing as he smashed 312 runs besides claiming 12 wickets.

He was back in the auction the following season where he was picked for Rajasthan Royals for Rs 12 Crore.

Stokes, who has a net IPL worth of Rs 64.5 Crore, has featured in 43 IPL games in which he has scored 920 runs at an average of 25.56 and a strike rate of 134.5 besides claiming 28 wickets at 34.79.

5) David Warner – Rs 71,00,17,300

Warner made his IPL debut way back in 2009 when he was picked up by the Delhi Capitals (Daredevils) for Rs 1,473, 600.

He played for DC between 2009-13 before he was subsequently released ahead of the 2014 auction.

The southpaw was then picked up by SunRisers Hyderabad for Rs 55 Lakh and he vindicated his price tag as he proceeded to pile up runs on a consistent basis.

The swashbuckling Aussie opener not only scored heaps of runs for his team but also led them to their maiden triumph in 2016.

Warner was retained for Rs 12.5 Crore ahead of the 2019 auction and while he continued to smash runs in the next two seasons, he endured a rare dip in form In the recent edition, post which he was removed from the leadership duties and subsequently dropped from the playing 11.

4) Kieron Pollard – Rs 74,53,03,500

Pollard was racked up by the Mumbai Indians for Rs 34,717,500 in the 2010 auction and since then he has gone on to become one of the cornerstones for their success, having played a stellar role in each of their five titular triumphs.

Pollard’s salary kept on increasing as he went from Rs 34,717,500 in 2010 to a whopping Rs 9.5 Crore in 2015.

Pollard, who has featured in 171 IPL games thus far, cumulative salary as of today is Rs 74,53,03,500.

3) Shane Watson – Rs 77,13,48,250

Watson made a grand entry in the IPL in 2008 as he ended up as the leading run-scorer and the third-highest wicket-taker in the completion as his franchise, Rajasthan Royals became the inaugural champions.

Watson had another stellar outing five years later in 2013 as he topped the batting charts besides claiming crucial wickets.

The all-rounder was forced on the auction pool in 2016 after RR got banned for two years and he was then picked by RCB.

Watson endured a horrible outing with both bat and ball in 2016 final and after another average season in 2017, he was released by the franchise.

The swashbuckling was then picked up by Chennai Super Kings for Rs 4 Crore in the 2018 auction and the all-rounder proceeded to script his redemption as propelled CSK to their third title with a brilliant unbeaten ton against SRH in the finals.

He nearly did an encore of it- that too with a bloody knee- against the Mumbai Indians in 2019 final but was, unfortunately, run out in the final over.

Watson called time on his IPL career following a disappointing outing in 2020.

2) Sunil Narine – Rs 95,24,78,000

His current struggles notwithstanding, Sunil Narine will go down in history as one of the greatest-ever spinners to have ever featured in the lucrative league.

Narine was racked up by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 35,189,000 in the 2012 auction and the move proved to be a masterstroke as the off-spinner was adjudged the ‘Player of the Tournament’ for being the second-highest wicket-taker (24) in what was a maiden title triumph for KKR.

Narine picked 20+wickets in the following two seasons to become one of the bedrocks of the KKR outfit.

The off-spinner then donned a new role for his side as he was promoted to the opening spot where he regularly played brisk cameos.

However, with his action getting reported and batting is not really up to the mark, his performance has dipped in recent years. In the past three seasons, Narine has managed just 18 wickets in 26 innings besides scoring 274 runs in 22 outings. 

1)- AB de Villiers – Rs 102,51,65,000

And, at the numero-uno spot is the ‘Mr. 360’ Abraham Benjamin De Villers.

De Villiers’ whose net IPL worth is a mind-numbing Rs 102,51,65,000, has glittered the cash-rich league with his freakish talent in the past 14 years.

Like his performances with the bat, AB de Villiers’ earnings have been on a consistent upward curve since his first season.

De Villiers was picked for Rs 12 million by the Delhi Capitals in 2008 where he played for three seasons before joining forces with Virat Kohli in 2011.

De Villiers was racked up by Rs 5 Crore in 2011 and since he has become the cornerstone for the franchise courtesy consistent performances season-after-season.

ABD was retained by RCB ahead of the mega auction in 2018 with his salary parachuting to Rs 11 Crore. His total IPL worth as of today is Rs 102 Crore.

As far as his stats are concerned, De Villiers has smashed 5056 runs in 176 outings at an average of 40.77 and a strike rate of 152.38 with 40 fifties and 3 hundred.

Also Read: IPL: Top 10 All-rounders With Highest Combined Earnings So Far