Revealed: Salaries Of International Cricket Captains In The Year 2021

A captain is the most crucial player in the team – someone around whom the team revolves; the lynchpin of the side. In victories, the skipper is credited – as much as the team – and in losses, it the skipper who is castigated, criticized, and sometimes axed.

The role of captain isn’t limited to just on the field; he has to keep the group glued together off the field as well. Hence, choosing the skipper is an important and meticulous task for the board. So is his payment -after all, in case of slow-over rate, it is the captain who is reprimanded the first.

Here we look at the salaries of the current top international cricket captains for 2021 (all figures in INR):

Dimuth Karunaratne (Sri Lanka Test Captain) – 51.03 lakh

Sri Lanka cricket has been struggling on all fronts since the legends retired, and so did their wins became scarce. They have tried multiple captains in the past 5-6 years – including pacer Suranga Lakmal – but it was under Dimuth Karunaratne that a feeble-looking Lanka team registered a historic 2-0 Test series win in South Africa in 2019.

Blossoming times were predicted for the Island nation following the win in South Africa. However, it wasn’t to be. They have won 3 Tests in the next 12 games. As per the latest contracts, Test captain, Dimuth Karunaratne receives an annual salary of USD 70,000.

Kusal Perera  (Sri Lanka Limited-Overs Captain) – 25 lakh

Sri Lanka has struggled in white-ball cricket heavily since the 2015 World Cup. The captains have been changed on regular basis with no long-term rope given to anyone as results went against them continuously.

Karunaratne, who was appointed the skipper in 2019 for the World Cup, himself has been sacked recently despite winning 10 out of 16 ODIs. Left-handed batsman Kusal Perera is now put at the helm and he will earn $35,000 per year.

It remains to be seen whether they retain Dasun Shanaka (contract of $65,000) as the T20 captain or replace him with Perera.

Babar Azam – 62.40 lakh

One of the most talented batsmen to come from Pakistan, Babar Azam has been recently appointed as the skipper of the Test team as well, having already leading the side in white-ball formats. He took over from Sarfraz Ahmed in limited-overs cricket and from Azhar Ali in red-ball cricket.

Under Azam Pakistan has won all its 4 Test matches – 2 each versus South Africa and Zimbabwe – so far, to go with 4 ODI wins out of 6 and 13 T20Is from 21 games. He is placed in category A of the PCB’s centrally contracted players and fetches an annual salary of 13.2 Million PKR, which is INR 62.40 lakh approximately.

Kieron Pollard (West Indies Limited-Overs Captain) – 1.73 crore

Kieron Pollard was appointed the permanent captain of West Indies’ limited-overs cricket post the 2019 World Cup. Overall he has led the team in 15 ODIs, winning 9 of them, and 7 victories in 17 T20Is.

As per the latest contract, Kieron Pollard receives an annual salary of $250,000 (INR 1.73 crore) for his white-ball contracts, which has also led to players like Dwayne Bravo, and Andre Russell make a return to the national side.

 Kraigg Brathwaite (West Indies Test Captain) – 1.39 crore

Kraigg Brathwaite was named the skipper tour Bangladesh when Jason Holder pulled out. He led the side to a 2-0 historic series win; then was appointed the permanent skipper.

He has led West Indies in an interim capacity previously as well, but couldn’t register a victory in any of the games other than the Bangladesh tour. Nonetheless, the board sees a future in Brathwaite in the longest format, and he is being paid $200,000 (₹ 1.39 crores) per season by the board.

Kane Williamson – 3.19 crore

The New Zealand skipper is one of the finest batsman and one of the sharpest minds in the cricket world. He has lead Kiwis to great heights – marginally losing the 2019 World Cup, and now the team is in the final of the WTC.

Under Kane, the Kiwis have won 21 of 35 Tests played, 26 of 50 ODIs, and 19 of 42 T20Is. The right-hander is contracted for $440,000, which includes  $40,000 as a special bonus for being the skipper of the side.

Temba Bavuma (South Africa Limited-Overs Captain) – 2.5 crore

Temba Bavuma became South African cricket’s first black African permanent captain as he was chosen to replace the interim skipper Quinton de Kock in limited-overs cricket. The right-hander has so far led the Proteas in 3 ODIs – against Pakistan – with one victory under his belt. Bavuma receives $350,000 from the board as his salary.

Dean Elgar (South Africa Test Captain) – 3.26 crore

Dean Elgar replaced de Kock as the Test captain of the Protea. His first assignment as a skipper of the Proteas side would be in the upcoming 2-Test series in West Indies. The left-handed opener would receive $450,000 for his contract with Cricket South Africa.

Aaron Finch (Australia Limited-Overs Captain) – 5.4 crore

Aaron Finch was named the permanent Australian skipper in white-ball cricket following Steve Smith’s ban in look for the 2019 World Cup. The opener took the side to the semi-final of the tournament.

As per the latest contracts, Finch gets approximately $750,000 in the role of the limited-overs captain. The right-hander has led the side in 41 ODIs, winning 23 from them, and 22 wins in 43 T20Is.

Tim Paine (Australia Test Captain) – 2 crore

Tim Paine was made the interim skipper immediately when Smith was sent back home from South Africa after having being caught – with Cameron Bancroft and David Warner – for the Sandpaper gate scandal.

Paine was then retained as the permanent skipper; he led Australia to the 2019 Ashes in England and returned with the urn having drawn the series 2-2. Although under Paine, Australia lost two series to India at home, he is likely to continue leading till the Ashes later this year. He also is reported to make $278,000 from his contract.

 Virat Kohli – INR 7 crore

Under Virat Kohli the Indian team has become a powerhouse in Test cricket, especially away from home owing to the pace cartel he has assembled. India remains on top of the Test ranking is a feared side in white-ball cricket too. An ICC trophy as the captain still allures Kohli.

Under Kohli, India has won 36 Tests from 60, including the 2018/19 series triumph in Australia. He captained the Men in Blue to the 2017 Champions Trophy final and the semi-final of the 2019 World Cup.

The Indian skipper is placed in the top bracket – A+ category – of the BCCI contract list. He will receive INR 7 crore from his annual contract.

Eoin Morgan (England Limited-Overs Captain) – 1.75 crore

Eoin Morgan changed the dynamics of England’s white-ball cricket following the humiliating exit in the 2015 World Cup, which culminated in the victory of their maiden 50-over World Cup title in 2019, at home.

The Irishman has captained the Three Lions in 121 ODIs winning 72, and 33 victories in 57 T20Is. The next target for Morgan and his men is the T20 World Cup as they wish to become the first team to hold both World Cup simultaneously. The left-hander is contracted for the sum of £170,000 with the ECB.

Joe Root (England Test Captain) – INR 8.97 crore

Joe Root earns the most from the annual contract for any cricket captain from its board. The English Test captain, who is also a member of the ODI team, is contracted at £870,000 with the ECB.

Root took over from Alastair Cook in 2017. While he hasn’t won any Ashes so far as the captain, in 2 attempts, and lost the recent away series to India, under Root England has defeated South Africa away and India at home. England has won 26 from 50 Tests under the captaincy of Joe Root.

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