IPL: Top 10 Wicket-Keepers With Highest Combined Earnings So Far

Wicketkeeper batsmen have become a crucial element not only in IPL but in any form of the game. Unlike before, glovemen’s role is not restricted to just standing behind the stumps and catching the ball, but also contributing to impactful innings with the bat. Franchises often give the keeper-batsmen more significant responsibilities now than before. We have seen several teams, not only in IPL but also in world cricket, promoting wicketkeepers to the opening position.

Fortunately, they have also repaid the faith by crafting some whirlwind knocks. Along with that, keeper-batsmen are also allowed to captain a team since they are in a better position to gauge the match situation from behind the stumps. Thus, as they grow in their role, they earn enormous money from the IPL and their performances in the marquee T20 league gives them further recognition.

We take a look at the Top 10 wicketkeepers in IPL with highest combined earnings so far:

10. Parthiv Patel – INR 21,91,40,000:

Parthiv Patel might not have a highly decorated IPL career; however, he has been a pretty handy option and did decently with the bat. Parthiv Patel has represented Royal Challengers Bangalore, Chennai Super Kings, Deccan Chargers, Mumbai Indians, Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Sunrisers Hyderabad from 2008 to 2019, scoring 2848 runs in 139 games at 22.60.

The southpaw maintained a strike rate of 120.78, scoring 13 fifties. Patel was also part of the Mumbai Indians’ squad that lifted the trophy in 2015 and 2017 and the Chennai Super Kings in 2010. Along with crafting some brisk innings at the opening spot, the Gujarat-born keeper-batsman has also taken 69 catches and affected 19 stumpings.

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

9. Adam Gilchrist – INR 22,94,85,000:

Adam Gilchrist was arguably one of the greats of the game and proved his mettle in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as well. Adam Gilchrist has been amongst the few cricketers to perform impactfully with the bat and gloves. He took control of the Deccan Chargers in 2009 and catapulted them to the summit after they finished at the bottom in 2008.

The southpaw also earned the man of the tournament award in 2009 for scoring 495 runs in 16 matches at 30.94, keeping a strike rate of 152.31. Overall, in 80 games, he hammered 2069 runs and hammered ten fifties and two centuries. The Western Australian played for Kings XI Punjab from 2011 to 2013, but could not fare that well. Gilchrist took 15 catches and affected 16 stumpings in his IPL career.

8. Jos Buttler – INR 25,20,00,000:

Jos Buttler has been the bedrock of the Rajasthan Royals after joining the franchise in 2018. Jos Buttler has fulfilled all the roles asked of him – from keeping wickets, opening the batting, and batting in the middle-order. But it is while batting in the top order that the Lancashire-born cricketer has achieved the most success.

The 30-year old averages a healthy 40.23 while batting at the top, scoring 1408 matches in 37 innings, striking at 156.10. He has scored ten fifties and a century while opening the batting. Buttler’s 65-match IPL career after debuting in 2016 entails taking 69 catches and affecting a stumping.

7. Quinton De Kock – INR 25,30,65,400:

Quinton De Kock is yet another keeper-batsman who has grown wonderfully into his role after his international debut in 2013. Quinton De Kock made his IPL debut that year with the SunRisers Hyderabad in 2013 and scored a hundred with the Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2016. But he could not find much success with them and joined the Mumbai Indians in 2019.

De Kock has been highly successful for the franchise and played an instrumental role in the team’s title victories in 2019 and 2020. The southpaw scored more than 500 runs in both the editions and has an IPL strike rate of 132.21. The former South African captain has taken 51 catches and affected 14 stumpings as well.

6. Brendon McCullum – INR 39,84,35,000:

Brendon McCullum scored the first hundred of IPL history, producing a memorable knock of unbeaten 158 for the Kolkata Knight Riders against the Royal Challengers Bangalore. The innings has gone down as one of the greatest of all time as it scripted a demolishing victory for the Kolkata-based franchise. He now coaches the same team, having joined it in 2020.

The former New Zealand skipper has represented Royal Challengers Bangalore, Chennai Super Kings, Kolkata Knight Riders, Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Gujarat Lions in his IPL career. McCullum has 2800 runs in 109 IPL fixtures at 27.69, striking at 131.75. The 39-year old has not kept wickets for the most part of his career, taking most catches as a fielder and affected six stumpings behind the stumps.

5. Rishabh Pant – INR 42,80,00,000:

Rishabh Pant played his first IPL season back in 2016 and has delivered plenty of impactful performances for the Delhi Capitals. Rishabh Pant was amongst the highest run-getters in IPL 2018, mustering 684 runs in 14 matches at 52.62 with five fifties and one century. Pant maintained a staggering strike rate of 173.60 that year.

The 23-year old suffered a minor blip in the UAE last year; however, he bounced back in 2021 by becoming the captain of the Delhi Capitals. Pant ushered the Capitals to five wins in seven games in his maiden captaincy stint and has maintained his reputation as a game-changer with the bat.

4. Sanju Samson – INR 48,58,00,000:

Sanju Samson is a flamboyant batsman, capable of hitting sixes and mustering an enormous amount of runs at will. Though Sanju Samson has often been accused of performing underwhelmingly compared to his talent, one could not ignore his talent. The elegant right-handed batsman has hardly performed consistently in a season – his form tapering after one or two performances.

The 26-year old has performed reasonably responsibly in 2021, having earned the responsibility to captain the Royals. Samson was amongst the highest run-getters this year, scoring 277 runs in seven games at 46.79, striking at 145.79. In 114 matches, he has 2861 runs and has also kept wickets for a good number of fixtures.

3. Dinesh Karthik – INR 75,92,00,000:

Dinesh Karthik is one of the most-capped IPL players, having featured in 203 matches from 2008 to 2021. Dinesh Karthik has represented Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings, Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Gujarat Lions, plying his trade for the Kolkata-based franchise currently. He also captained the team in 2018, 2019, and for a few matches in 2020.

The 35-year old has 3946 runs in 184 innings at 26.13, striking at 129.89. Karthik best season with the bat came for the Mumbai Indians in 2013 when he smashed 510 runs at 28.33, becoming an integral part of their title-winning campaign. The veteran’s captaincy record entails winning and losing 22 games in 44 fixtures.

2. AB de Villiers – INR 102,51,65,000:

AB de Villiers is one of the greatest contemporary cricketers and the heart and soul of the Royal Challengers Bangalore since joining them in 2013. AB de Villiers has taken up every role there is for the franchise and dug them out of trouble on multiple occasions. The right-handed batsman has also become one of the fearsome batsmen due to his hitting range as he takes the bowlers to the cleaners, carting them to all parts of the ground.

The 37-year old has featured in 176 matches, hammering 5056 runs at 40.77, maintaining a strike rate of 152.38 with 40 fifties and three tons. The former South African skipper is also a terrific fielder and had to take the keeping gloves despite feeling uncomfortable to do so. The current year also saw the veteran batting in a league of his own despite not retiring from international cricket back in 2018.

1. MS Dhoni – INR 152,84,00,000:

Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni captures the top spot as he been one of the valuable and popular cricketers in IPL history. MS Dhoni is one of the integral reasons that the Chennai Super Kings has enjoyed a glorious run in the lucrative league, capturing three titles and reaching the playoffs every year, except in 2020. They bounced back sensationally this year, standing second in the points table until the tournament’s suspension.

The 39-year old has also been a match-winner with the bat and has proved exceptionally difficult for the bowlers to bowl to at the death. Dhoni has featured in 211 matches, scoring 4669 runs at 40.25, keeping a strike rate of 136.64. Though the keeper-batsman’s ability with the bat has significantly reduced since the last year, he remains a masterful tactician as his captaincy has produced the desired results.

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